The NASCAR Cup Series title is undoubtedly one of NASCAR’s most sought-after awards. This prize is a testament to perseverance and hard effort throughout a demanding 38-week season. However, many excellent drivers never have the opportunity to lift the championship trophy. In no specific order, these are the best drivers who have never taken home a NASCAR Cup Series title.
Martin Mark Martin’s name is nearly usually the first one mentioned when this subject is brought up. Despite winning 40 races, Martin never took home a Cup Series title or a Daytona 500 victory. Five times, he finished second in the championship standings, notably in 1990, when a penalty in the early part of the season proved to be the difference in a very heartbreaking loss.
Martin was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2017 because of his unquestionable greatness, even though he never won a championship.
Denny Hamlin (Active)
Hamlin has a limited amount of time left to earn a championship. Although he has won three Daytona 500s and 54 races overall, the 44-year-old has been vying for a championship since 2006 and has never been successful. Hamlin’s prospects were ruined in 2010 with a spin at Homestead-Miami early in the season finale. Hamlin has advanced to the Championship 4 four times since the knockout-style playoff format was implemented in 2014, but he hasn’t advanced to the final round since 2021. 2025 seems like a crucial season for Hamlin because his time behind the wheel is coming to an end.
Johnson, Junior
Although the renowned team owner never won a championship while driving, Johnson did have his moment on the championship stage as a vehicle owner. Points racing was the least important thing to Johnson because of his “checkers-or-wreckers” driving style, even though he won 50 races in just 313 starts. Johnson’s greatest points finishes were sixth in 1955 and 1961, but he could have achieved legendary status as a championship driver and car owner if he had changed the way he drove.
Curtis Turner
Curtis Turner, a native of Roanoke, Virginia, was one of the most important racers in the early years of NASCAR, but his fame and skill as a driver never led to a championship. Turner’s potential is underappreciated with 17 victories in 184 starts, and if he ever decided to race a full season, it’s very likely he would’ve at least been in championship contention once.
A fireball Roberts
Roberts only nearly completed a full-time season once, finishing in sixth place with six points in 1957. The charming Florida native had 206 starts and won 33 races, but a mishap in the 1964 World 600 left him hospitalized, cruelly ending his ever-increasing talent. One of the best what-if tales in NASCAR history is still Roberts’ career. Edwards, Carl If one lap had gone differently in 2011 or 2016, Edwards would have one or two Cup Series titles to add to his Hall of Fame resume. Although his abrupt resignation following a devastating defeat in 2016 was startling, his track record has made him a beloved among fans.
Remarkable Remarks
Davey Allison: highest points finish of third (1991, 1992), 19 wins in 191 starts Jeff Burton: best points finish of third (2000), 21 victories in 695 starts Greg Biffle: best points finish of third (2008), 19 victories in 515 starts Fred Lorenzen: best points finish of third (1963), 26 wins in 158 starts Jim Paschal: best points finish of seventh (1956), 25 victories in 421 starts Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: best points result of third, 26 victories in 631 starts (2003) Ricky Rudd: best points result of second (1991), 23 victories in 906 starts
