Ranking 3 NASCAR drivers with the most Cup Series wins in the Next-Gen era
The NASCAR Next Gen car, officially introduced in the 2022 season, represents a significant evolution in the NASCAR Cup Series, aimed at enhancing competition and reducing costs. Designed to be more relevant to production vehicles, the Next Gen car features a host of technological advancements, including an independent rear suspension and a five-speed sequential transmission, which replaced the traditional solid axle and four-speed manual gearbox. This shift not only improves handling, especially on road courses but also aligns NASCAR more closely with modern automotive engineering.
The drivers who have utilized the advantages of these new cars the most since their inception are:
#3. Joey Logano (9 wins)
Joey Logano has established himself as a prominent competitive force in NASCAR where he achieved immense success since the next-gen car’s introduction in 2022. His ability to adapt to the new vehicle dynamics within the landscape has resulted in multiple victories and two championships in this era.
In 2022, Logano started the season strongly where he won the Clash at the Coliseum which was the first competitive race of the new car. This set the tone for the rest of his series as he capped the season off at the Phoenix Raceway where the Connecticut native won his second Cup Series championship with a dominant win after leading the race for 187 laps.
In 2024, the 34-year-old won his third championship by dominating in Phoenix again. He did so by executing an important late-race restart that allowed him to gain positions rapidly and ultimately finished ahead of Ryan Blaney by 0.330 seconds.
Working closely with Team Penske and crew chief Paul Wolfe, Logano has benefitted from strong teamwork and strategic decision-making throughout races.
#2. William Byron (11 wins)
William Byron has emerged as a leading driver in the NASCAR Next Gen car era, showcasing his immense talent and adaptability with a series of impressive victories since 2022.
In 2022, Byron secured his first win of the season at the Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 with a tight finish of just 0.109 seconds ahead of Christopher Bell. He also won at the Martinsville Speedway that year showcasing his abilities on short tracks with the new car.
In 2023, the 27-year-old won 6 races with a key victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The 2024 season was another strong one for the North Carolina native where he won notable races in the Daytona 500, and Circuit of the Americas, and maintained his short-track prowess in Martinsville.
Collaborating closely with crew chief Rudy Fugle has allowed Byron to leverage strategic insights and optimize race performance.
#1. Kyle Larson (13 wins)
Kyle Larson has made a significant impact with the most wins in the NASCAR Next Gen car era. The 2022 season saw him win three races in the inaugural year.
In 2023, Larson improved upon his season with four wins. He won at Go Bowling at The Glen where he led for a substantial number of laps and bettered it by leading under pressure at Crayon 301 at New Hampshire.
The 2024 season was the most dominant year out of them all as he earned 6 wins. At the Bristol Motor Speedway, the 32-year-old had one of the most astonishingly strong performances where he led for 462 out of the 500 laps and finished with over seven seconds ahead of the 2nd spot. The race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway saw the California native lead for 182 out of the 267 laps and showcased his speed and strategy.
Larson's collaboration with crew chief Cliff Daniels has been pivotal. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, the duo has achieved 17 wins together, including a championship in 2021.