BACK TO GALLERIES

Drivers with 8 wins in a year in modern era

By Chase Wilhelm | Published: 17 Oct, 2021 18
Getty Imegs
BACK TO GALLERIES

1 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

It has been a dominant 2021 season for Kyle Larson. He has already notched eight wins en route to the first Championship 4 berth of his career and there are still three races remaining. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is one of 17 drivers who have won eight times or more in a single season at the sport's highest level. Read on to see the full list.

2 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Matt Sullivan | Getty Images

Richard Petty

Richard Petty recorded eight wins in 1972 and 10 in 1974, while also earning two of his seven total championships in both of those years. He notched another championship in 1975 after recording an impressive 13 victories.

3 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Streeter Lecka | Getty Images

Bobby Allison

Bobby Allison earned 10 victories in 1972, two more than Richard Petty that year, but it wasn't enough to score the title over 'The King.' He also recorded eight wins in 1982.

4 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Jason Smith | Getty Images

David Pearson


David Pearson won 11 races in 1973, which is remarkable considering he only ran 18 races that season. He earned 10 victories in 1976.

5 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Streeter Lecka | Getty Images

Cale Yarborough

Cale Yarborough had four seasons of eight wins or greater, which is more than any other driver in the modern era. Yarborough earned 10 in 1974, but came up just short of his first title. But he went on a tear from 1976-78, going 9-9-10 on his way to three straight championships.

6 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Blaine Ohigashi | Getty Images

Darrell Waltrip

Darrell Waltrip had two consecutive 12-win seasons in 1981 and '82, while also notching two of his three championships.

7 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Getty Images

Bill Elliott


Bill Elliott had an 11-win 1985 season, but he came up just short of winning the championship to Darrell Waltrip.

8 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Getty Imegs

Dale Earnhardt


Both of Dale Earnhardt's years of eight wins or more were earned en route to championships. Earnhardt scored 11 wins in 1987 and nine in 1990.

9 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Getty Images

Rusty Wallace


Rusty Wallace was a winning machine in the early 90s, earning 10 race victories in 1993 and eight the very next year.

10 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Getty Images

Jeff Gordon


For three consecutive seasons (1996-98), Jeff Gordon earned 10 wins or more. In 1996, it was 10, but he finished second to teammate Terry Labonte in the championship standings. But that all changed the next two seasons, winning 10 races in 1997 to win his second title and an incredible 13 races in '98 for his third. The four-time champ still ties Petty with the record for most wins in a season in the modern era.

11 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images

Ryan Newman


It was a breakout year for Ryan Newman in 2003, recording eight victories while driving the No. 12 for Team Penske.

12 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Todd Warshaw | Getty Images

Jimmie Johnson


It was an eight-win season for Jimmie Johnson in 2004. In '07, Johnson brought home 10 wins and his second of seven titles.

13 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Robert Laberge | Getty Images

Kyle Busch

In his first season driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in 2008, Kyle Busch parked it in Victory Lane on eight separate occasions. He replicated that eight-win achievement a decade later in 2018, when he advanced to the Championship 4.

14 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Jerry Markland | Getty Images

Carl Edwards


Kyle Busch wasn't the only driver to win big in 2008, as Carl Edwards notched nine wins during his Roush Fenway Racing days that season.

15 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Denny Hamlin


Denny Hamlin scored eight wins in 2010, including victories at Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway for the Virginia native.

16 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Sarah Crabill | Getty Images)

Martin Truex Jr.

Martin Truex Jr. joined the eight-win club in 2017, winning eight times and earning his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.

17 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick has only gotten better with age. It took him until Year 18 to win eight races in a season for the first time, which he did in 2018 as a member of the 'Big 3.' Harvick would better that feat in 2020 with a career-best nine victories.

18 of 18

NASCAR Placeholder Image

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson continues to dominate the field in his best-ever season in the NASCAR Cup Series. It's fitting that his appearance on this list came in his eighth full-time season at the premier level and there are no signs of him slowing down. His eight wins this season double up on the prior career best of four in 2017 with Chip Ganassi Racing.