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BACK TO GALLERIES

Early success: Drivers to win three races in first 15 starts with new team

By Staff Report | Published: June 6, 2023 11
Jeff Curry | Getty Images
BACK TO GALLERIES

1 of 11

Jeff Curry | Getty Images

Kyle Busch's win at Worldwide Technology Raceway was his third of 2023, and also his third for Richard Childress Racing. It's been nearly a perfect pairing since "Rowdy" joined the team before this season. His win makes him the latest in this elite list of drivers to win three times in the first 15 races with a new team -- a list Busch is on twice. Read on to see the last 10 instances.

2 of 11

NASCAR Archives via Getty Images

Bobby Allison, 1981

Old team: Bud Moore Engineering
New team: Ranier Racing
Wins through first 15 races: 4
Season finish: Allison would win five times in 1981, including the season finale at Riverside. That final victory wasn't enough to usurp Darrell Waltrip in the standings as DW won the season championship by 53 points.

3 of 11

NASCAR Archives via Getty Images

Darrell Waltrip, 1981

Old team:
Digard Racing
New team: Junior Johnson and Associates
Wins through first 15 races: 5
Season finish: Waltrip would win the first of his three career Cup Series titles by posting an astonishing 12 wins in the 31-race 1981 season.

4 of 11

NASCAR Archives via Getty Images

Bobby Allison, 1982

Old team: Ranier Racing
New team: DiGard Motorsports
Wins through first 15 races: 3
Season finish: Another new team, another runner-up finish for Allison -- and to Darrell Waltrip again, no less. The long-elusive championship would come the next year for the Alabama native, though.

5 of 11

NASCAR Archives via Getty Images

Cale Yarborough, 1983

Old team:
M.C. Anderson Racing
New team: Ranier Racing
Wins through first 15 races: 4
Season finish: Yarborough's four wins all came in his first 15 races of the season in this part-time effort. He attempted just 16 starts on the year.

6 of 11

NASCAR Archives via Getty Images

Bill Elliott, 1992

Old team: Melling Racing
New team: Junior Johnson and Associates
Wins through first 15 races: 4
Season finish: This served as Elliott's last major grasp at a second NASCAR Cup Series title. His early four wins came consecutively in races two-five of the year. His next win came in the iconic 1992 finale at Atlanta, which saw Alan Kulwicki win the title by 10 points.

7 of 11

Jason Smith | Getty Images

Kyle Busch, 2008

Old team:
Hendrick Motorsports
New team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Wins through first 15 races: 4
Season finish: An eight-win effort in 2008 launched Busch into superstardom, although he would finish 10th in the final standings of NASCAR's playoff format.

8 of 11

Jerry Markland | Getty Images

Mark Martin, 2009

Old team: Dale Earnhardt Inc.
New team: Hendrick Motorsports
Wins through first 15 races: 3
Season finish: Martin's push for his first Cup Series title came in an out-of-nowhere season at age 50. Following two years of part-time driving, the racing bug still hadn't left Martin's system. His five-win 2009 was a comeback for the ages, but not quite enough to unseat Jimmie Johnson at the top of the points standings.

9 of 11

Geoff Burke | Getty Images

Matt Kenseth, 2013

Old team:
Roush Fenway Racing
New team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Wins through first 15 races: 3
Season finish: A fresh start with a new team produced a welcome change for Kenseth, who earned a career-high seven wins in his first year driving the No. 20 Toyota. He was first in the points standings the first five weeks of the playoffs, but couldn't stop Jimmie Johnson's rally for his sixth championship.

10 of 11

Donald Page | Getty Images

Martin Truex Jr., 2019

Old team:
Furniture Row Racing
New team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Wins through first 15 races: 3
Season finish: The move to Joe Gibbs Racing was smooth for Truex Jr., who had driven for a JGR satellite team in Furniture Row from 2014-18. Truex would win seven races and finish second in the Championship 4 to new teammate Kyle Busch.

11 of 11

Jeff Curry | Getty Images

Kyle Busch, 2023

Old team: Joe Gibbs Racing
New team: Richard Childress Racing
Wins through first 15 races: 3
Season finish: Stay tuned, but through the first 15 races of the year, Kyle Busch is tied with William Byron for most wins in the series.
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