Active drivers with first Cup Series win on a road course

Eight active NASCAR Cup Series drivers scored their first victory at a road course, with Corey Heim as the latest. Keep reading to see the whole list.

AJ Allmendinger

First win: Watkins Glen, 2014

Total Cup wins: 3

Race note: Allmendinger led 29 laps and fended off road course ace Marcos Ambrose for his first career win in over 200 starts. 

Chase Elliott

First win: Watkins Glen, 2018

Total Cup wins: 23

Race note: Despite dominating most of the afternoon and leading 52 laps, Elliott had to fight off a late-race scare from Martin Truex Jr. to score his first Cup win. Elliott ran out of fuel on the cool-down lap, and Jimmie Johnson pushed him to Victory Lane, a moment many fans considered a "changing of the guard" at Hendrick Motorsports. 

Christopher Bell

First win: Daytona Road Course, 2021

Total Cup wins: 13

Race note: Bell's maiden Cup victory came in the second race of the 2021 season, leading five laps to win at the Daytona Road Course. 

Ross Chastain

First win: Circuit of The Americas, 2022

Total Cup wins: 6

Race note: In one of the more memorable finishes in recent history, Chastain staved off Alex Bowman and AJ Allmendinger on the final lap for a surprise victory at COTA. It kickstarted a campaign that later took him to the Championship 4.

Daniel Suárez

First win: Sonoma, 2022

Total Cup wins: 3

Race note: Suárez dominated the afternoon in California, leading 47 of 110 laps for his first Cup victory. It came in his sixth full-time season and his second with Trackhouse Racing. 

Tyler Reddick

First win: Road America, 2022

Total Cup wins: 13

Race note: Reddick led 16 laps in Wisconsin for his first Cup Series victory, starting a stretch of three wins in 13 races with Richard Childress Racing. 

Shane van Gisbergen

First win: Chicago, 2023

Total Cup wins: 7

Race note: In a major upset, van Gisbergen shocked the Cup Series field with a win at the Chicago Street Course in his first ever NASCAR start. He led nine of 78 laps and held off Justin Haley in an event shortened due to darkness and inclement weather. 

Corey Heim

First win: Naval Base Coronado, 2026

Total Cup wins: 1

Race note: Heim passed 23XI Racing teammate Tyler Reddick with three laps to go for a stunning victory in the inaugural race at Naval Base Coronado. It was just his 13th premier-series start.