Shane van Gisbergen does a burnout at Chicago.

BACK TO GALLERIES

NASCAR Cup Series rookie winners since 2000

By Staff Report | Published: November 4, 2025 15

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

BACK TO GALLERIES

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Shane van Gisbergen does a burnout at Chicago.

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

Trackhouse Racing driver Shane van Gisbergen joined an exclusive list of rookie winners with his victory in 2025 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Van Gisbergen went on to win five races in his rookie year en route to taking Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in the Cup Series.

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FORT WORTH, TX - APRIL 2, 2000: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his crew celebrate their win in the DirecTV 500 NASCAR Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. The win was the younger Earnhardt’s first in Cup competition. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Date: April 2, 2000
Track: Texas Motor Speedway
Note: Earnhardt Jr. also won at Richmond on May 6.

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CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 28, 2000: Matt Kenseth in victory lane after winning the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. (Photo by ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images)

NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images

Matt Kenseth

Date: May 28, 2000
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway

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ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 11: Kevin Harvick (center) celebrates in victory lane after winning the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2001. He drove a Richard Childress Chevrolet. (Photo by ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images)

NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images

Kevin Harvick

Date: March 11, 2001
Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Note: Harvick also won at Chicagoland on July 15.

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28 Apr 2002: Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson (center) poses withe the winners trophy with co-owners Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Winston Cup Series NAPA Auto Parts 500 at the California Speedway in Fontana, California. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Robert Laberge/Getty Images.

Robert Laberge/Getty Images.

Jimmie Johnson

Date: April 28, 2002
Track: Auto Club Speedway
Note: Johnson also won at Dover on June 2 and Sept. 22.

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LOUDON, NH - SEPTEMBER 15: Ryan Newman, driver of the #12 Alltel/Mobile 1 Ford Taurus smiles after winning rain-shortened New Hampshire 300, part of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, on September 15, 2002 at the New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Donald Miralle | Getty Images

Ryan Newman

Date: Sept. 15, 2002
Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 5: Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 Ford Taurus, poses for a photo after winning the Pepsi 400, on July 05, 2003 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo By Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Rusty Jarrett | Getty Images

Greg Biffle

Date: July 5, 2003
Track: Daytona International Speedway

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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 24: Kyle Busch driver of the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Kellogg's Chevrolet in his car during practice for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series MBNA Race Points 400 at the Dover International Speedway on September 24, 2005 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Robert Laberge | Getty Images

Kyle Busch

Date: Sept. 4, 2005
Track: Auto Club Speedway
Note: Busch also won at Phoenix on Nov. 13.

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LONG POND, PA - JULY 21: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Kinko's Chevrolet, stands on pit road during qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Pennsylvania 500 on July 21, 2006 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Doug Pensinger | Getty Images

Denny Hamlin

Date: June 11, 2006
Track: Pocono Raceway
Note: Hamlin also won at Pocono on July 23.

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SONOMA, CA - JUNE 24: Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the #42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge, celebrates in the winner's circle, after winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on June 24, 2007 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images

Juan Pablo Montoya

Date: June 24, 2007
Track: Sonoma Raceway

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LOUDON, NH - JUNE 28: Joey Logano, driver of the #20 Home Depot Toyota, celebrates winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 28, 2009 in Loudon, New Hampshire. Logano won the rain shortened race with 27 laps remaining. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) | Getty Images

Jerry Markland | Getty Images

Joey Logano

Date: June 28, 2009
Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

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LONG POND, PA - AUGUST 01: Chris Buescher, driver of the #34 Dockside Logistics Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway on August 1, 2016 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The race was delayed due to inclement weather on Sunday, July 31. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images

Chris Buescher

Date: Aug. 1, 2016
Track: Pocono Raceway

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SPARTA, KENTUCKY - JULY 12: Cole Custer, driver of the #41 HaasTooling.com Ford, and crew celebrate after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart at Kentucky Speedway on July 12, 2020 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Cole Custer

Date: July 12, 2020
Track: Kentucky Speedway

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Austin Cindric celebrates in Victory Lane at Daytona.

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

Austin Cindric

Date: Feb. 20, 2022
Track: Daytona International Speedway

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Shane van Gisbergen celebrates after winning in Mexico City.

James Gilbert | Getty Images

Shane van Gisbergen

Date: June 15, 2025
Track: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez