Many talented Cup Series drivers, despite showcasing remarkable skills and achieving numerous victories, never captured a NASCAR championship. Though the championship title eluded them, these drivers made significant contributions to NASCAR and enjoyed outstanding careers.
Davey Allison
Allison, the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison, followed in his father’s footsteps. He got his start on the local tracks in Alabama before his big break in NASCAR. In 1987, he replaced Cale Yarborough in the Ranier-Lundy Ford Thunderbird.
During his first season, he claimed two wins, five poles, and nine top-fives and earned the title of Rookie of the Year. During his tragically shortened career, he won 19 races and 14 poles, including the Daytona 500, before his death in a helicopter accident in 1993.
In 2018, Allison was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of NASCAR’s most popular and talented drivers. Throughout his career, he captured 26 wins in the Cup Series, including the 2004 and 2014 Daytona 500. He also won back-to-back Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) championships in 1998 and 1999.
However, he never won the NASCAR Cup Series championship. This could be a result of the highly competitive drivers and teams during his tenure as a driver, including champions like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart.
He also experienced multiple setbacks due to injuries, including significant concussions that affected his performance and ultimately led to his retirement from full-time racing. He accomplished all of this while under the pressure of being the son of legendary driver Dale Earnhardt.
Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards came close to winning the NASCAR Cup Series championship multiple times. His most notable near-championship win occurred in 2011 when he finished tied on points with Tony Stewart after the season’s final race. However, Stewart won the championship due to having more wins throughout the season.
Edwards was a strong competitor in the late 2000s, with 28 career wins, 124 top-5s, 220 top-10s, and 24 poles in 445 starts. Edwards decided to retire from full-time racing after the 2016 season. He was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023, and in 2025, he will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin has achieved 54 Cup Series wins, 234 top-fives, and 258 top-10s but has not yet won a Cup Series championship. His victories include three Daytona 500 wins (2016, 2019, 2020) and three Southern 500 wins (2010, 2017, 2021).
“A championship will not change how I view my career and what I’ve accomplished,” Hamlin said, “It will only change, and probably not, change what others view of me.”
“I’d love to have the accolades,” he continued, “I really would. But I certainly am not gonna get too down on it. This racing has afforded me a great life, a great retirement plan with 12XI. I love the sport and whatever the outcome is, it is. I’m certainly gonna give it my all and not regret any one thing that I’ve done.” He concluded by saying, “I know that I gave it my best effort, for sure.”
Fred Lorenzen
Lorenzen began his career as a mechanic for Holman Moody in 1960. But, by the end of the year, he became the lead Cup Series driver for the team. He captured 26 race wins and 32 poles throughout his career in NASCAR’s premier series, including the 1965 Daytona 500. And he accomplished this, despite never running a full season.
He was once asked how he wanted to be remembered. He simply said, “As a good driver. If you want to be the best and be good, you’ve got to put everything else aside and go for it. Anybody can go to the top if they want to bad enough. If you want it bad enough, you’ve gotta give everything else up and go for it.”
Mark Martin
Martin was a consistent front-runner and fan favorite. He had 40 Cup Series wins, 453 top-10s, and 56 poles in 882 races spanning over 31 years. However, he never won the championship. Martin was runner-up in the championship standings multiple times (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2009).
He was impressive in the Cup Series, but his Xfinity record is also outstanding. He won 49 of his 236 races with 152 top-10s and 30 poles over the 23 years. With limited races, he also captured seven wins in 25 races in the Craftsman Truck Series. Martin earned 96 wins across NASCAR’s three national series and was seventh on the all-time list. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2017.
Although these drivers may not have claimed the ultimate prize of a Cup Series championship, their achievements and impact on NASCAR have left an enduring and memorable impact on motorsports.
