Every NASCAR driver to earn their first Cup win at Talladega

Talladega Superspeedway is one of the most unpredictable races on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, so it should be no surprise that a dozen different drivers have secured their first — and in many cases only — Cup win at the iconic track.

It hasn’t happened yet in the Next Gen era, but several drivers have been close to becoming the 13th first-time winner at Dega. Of the 41 drivers on the entry list for this weekend’s race, 14 of them have yet to win at the highest level of the sport.

Here’s a detailed look back on the 12 drivers who did reach Victory Lane for the first time in their Cup careers at Talladega, and how they got the job done:

Bubba Wallace — 2021

Bubba Wallace wins

How he won: With rain threatening, there was wild action throughout the pack, and Wallace was among those trying to make his way to the front. He took the lead from Kurt Busch on Lap 113, and five laps later, a multi-car crash broke out in the middle of the field. During the caution, raindrops began to fall and the race never resumed. It was 23XI Racing’s first ever Cup win and Wallace made history as the first Black driver to win a Cup race since Wendell Scott in 1964.

Career beyond first win: Wallace now has three Cup wins, including the 2025 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. He just made his 300th career start, and has placed as high as tenth in the final standings (2023).

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — 2017

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wins

How he won: Driving for Roush at the time, Stenhouse started the race from pole position and led the first 13 laps of the race. However, he did not lead another lap until the very end. In overtime, he passed Kyle Busch and then held back to the entire field, blocking all across the track as he captured the checkered flag.

Career beyond first win: Stenhouse now has four Cup wins, including the 2023 Daytona 500, but all of his Cup wins have come at superspeedways. His best points result came in 2017, placing 13th, and he now has nearly 500 starts at the top level of the sport.

Brad Keselowski — 2009

Brad Keselowski wins at Carl Edwards flips and Ryan Newman crashes

How he won: In one of the wildest finishes in Talladega history, the 2009 spring race featured tandem drafting, where pairs of cars hooked together were running far faster than a large pack ever could. At the end, Keselowski, who was only a part-time driver, making a start with James Finch’s team. They had never won before, but he was second, pushing Carl Edwards on the final lap. With the pair of Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. close behind, Keselowski made his move, but Edwards blocked. Keselowski did not back down, sending Edwards spinning. his car lifted off the ground and flew skyward after getting run into by Newman, slamming upside down into the catch-fence. Keselowski won the race, and Edwards jogged across from the finish line after climbing from the wreckage.

Career beyond first win: Keselowski is the only driver on this list who earned their first win at Talladega, and then went on to become a Cup Series champion. He has a Hall of Fame career with over 600 starts and 36 career wins, and has won nearly every crown jewel on the schedule barring the Daytona 500. He is now the co-owner at RFK Racing as well.

Brian Vickers — 2006

Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads Jimmie Johnson and Brian Vickers

How he won: Another dramatic, and controversial finish. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was working with teammate Jimmie Johnson, and trying to pass Dale Jr. on the final lap. Johnson swung to the inside of the iconic Budweiser No. 8, and Vickers tried to follow, but miscalculated. Instead, Vickers turned Johnson into the door of Earnhardt’s car, spinning both of them out and taking the lead as the caution flew. It was awkward way to get your first win, and one that wasn’t very popular with the Talladega fans.

Career beyond first win: Vickers won three Cup wins, and placed as high as 12th in the standings in 2009. He 323 starts at the Cup level, but his career came to a premature end due to multiple recurring blood clots in the early 2010s.

Kenny Schrader — 1988

Kenny Schrader wins

How he won: Before Vickers, you have to go back almost 18 years to the previous first-time winner at Talladega. It was another Hendrick driver, running fourth at the white flag. He made a daring charge to the outside of Geoff Bodine, Sterling Marlin, and then Dale Earnhardt himself to take the lead before the exit of Turn 2. He then held the lead for the rest of the lap as they battled two and three wide for the runner-up spot behind him.

Career beyond first win: Schrader made 763 starts at the Cup level — more than any other driver on this list. His career spanned from 1984 into 2013. He ultimately won a total of four races, and placed as high as fourth in the standings in 1994.

Phil Parsons — 1988

Phil Parsons wins

How he won: There were two drivers to score their first Cup win at Talladega during the 1988 season. Parsons was driving for Jackson Brothers Motorsports, and led over 50 laps in the spring race. He took the lead for the last time with 15 laps to go, and then held back Geoff Bodine and Bobby Allison through a late-race restart.

Career beyond first win: Brother to Cup champion Benny Parsons, Phil ran 203 Cup races, and Talladega was his only win at the pinnacle of stock car racing. He placed as high as ninth in the standings, also in 1988, but he never returned to Victory Lane in Cup again.

Davey Allison — 1987

Davey Allison wins

How he won: A rising star at the time, this race was shortened by ten laps due to darkness, but it likely didn’t change the outcome. Allison was dominant, leading over 100 laps. He snatched the lead from Dale Earnhardt with nine laps to go and never looked back in his blistering fast No. 28 Yates machine. This win came in the same race where his legendary father Bobby flew into the catch-fence, which later caused NASCAR to star restricting the engines at superspeedways.

Career beyond first win: A member of one of the most historic families in NASCAR history, Davey won 19 Cup races in less than 200 starts, winning the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and perhaps the most memorable All-Star Race with 1992’s ‘One Hot Night.’ While he was certainly on track to become a Cup champion one day, that never happened. After placing third in points in both 1991 and 1992, Allison died at the age of 32 in a helicopter crash. The tragic accident took place while trying to land in the Talladega infield.

Bobby Hillin Jr. — 1986

Bobby Hillin Jr wins

How he won: Hillin slid up in front of Tim Richmond with just eight laps to go, and held the lead for the remainder of the race. He had to fend off several charges from those behind. On the final lap, a crash for third broke the pack apart and Hillin held back Richmond in the race to the line, winning for Stavola Brothers Racing.

Career beyond first win: Hillin ran 334 Cup races between 1982 and 2000, placing as high as ninth in points in 1986. Hillin’s Talladega victory was his only win at the Cup level.

Ron Bouchard — 1981

Ron Bouchard beats Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte in a photo finish

How he won: Bouchard was running third behind Terry Labonte and Darrell Waltrip on the final lap of the race. When Labonte moved to the outside of Waltrip in the tri-oval, Bouchard swung under both of them and the three drivers drag-raced to the line a thrilling three-wide photo finish. Bouchard won, just a couple of week ahead of Waltrip, who later said he thought the No. 47 wasn’t even on the same lap. It was the first win for Jack Beebe as a car owner as well.

Career beyond first win: In 160 Cup starts, Bouchard’s lone win came at Talladega in his rookie season, ultimately winning Rookie of the Year. He placed as high as eighth in the standings in 1982. Bouchard passed away in 2015 at the age of 67 due to cancer.

Lennie Pond — 1978

Lennie Pond wins

How he won: Pond took the lead with five laps to go and never relinquished it. He beat Donnie Allison by just two car lengths at the finish line, delivering team owner Harry Ranier his first of two dozen Cup wins.

Career beyond first win: Pond ran 234 Cup races, and his only Cup win came at Talladega. Despite that, he was a very consistent driver and place with 39 top fives, 88 top tens, and five poles (all those poles came in the same season). He placed as high as fifth in the standings in 1976, and was the 1973 Rookie of the Year. Pond passed away in 2016 at the age of 76 after a battle with cancer.

Dick Brooks — 1973

Dick Brooks wins

How he won: In the one and only win for both Brooks and Crawford Racing, he took the lead from David Pearson with on an eight-to-go restart. Buddy Baker, whose car was smoking, finished second, but he was a full 7.2 seconds behind.

Career beyond first win: Brooks was the 1969 Rookie of the Year, and in 358 Cup starts, Talladega was his only victory. He placed as high as sixth in the standings in 1977, and recorded 57 top fives and 150 top tens in another respectable career. He passed away in 2006 at the age of 63 due to pneumonia, which followed complications from a plane crash a couple of years earlier.

Richard Brickhouse — 1969

Richard Brickhouse wins

How he won: The winner of the first-ever NASCAR Cup race at Talladega. The event was infamous as many top drivers boycotted it due to safety reasons. The race wasn’t any less controversial, as Brickhouse passed Jim Vandiver with ten laps to go. However, both Vandiver and even the commentators believes Brickhouse was only unlapping himself when it turns out that it was for the lead. Despite some push back from Vandiver, NASCAR asserted that there was no scoring error and the result remained unchanged.

Career beyond first win: Brickhouse only made 39 starts at the Cup level, but he will forever have the title as the inaugural Talladega winner. He never placed higher than 25th in points, but he also never completed a full season of Cup Series competition.

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