How many drivers have won NASCAR Cup Series race on debut?

Shane van Gisbergen recently broke a record that has stood since in 1963 by being the first driver to win in his Cup Series debut in the modern era of NASCAR.

Only a handful of drivers have won their debut races. Here is a list of drivers who have won their debut NASCAR races.

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#1 Jim Roper | Charlotte, 1949

Jim Roper won the first NASCAR Strictly Stock Division race, driving his Lincoln from Kansas to Charlotte. Lincoln was Ford Motor Company's luxury subsidiary back then.

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#2 Jack White | Hamburg, 1949

Hamburg Speedway hosted the sixth race of the Strictly Stock season on September 18. In a competition dominated by Northern drivers, young Jack White drove a Lincoln to success in the 100-mile Strictly Stock race at Hamburg Speedway in 1949.

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#3 Harold Kite | Daytona Beach, 1950

Harold Kite won his first NASCAR Strictly Stock race at Daytona Beach, earning a cool $1,500 for his racing efforts. The winning trophy is now on display in the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, Georgia.

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#4 Leon Sales | North Wilkesboro, 1950

Leon Sales made his debut at North Wilkesboro in 1950, seizing up the lead with only eight laps to go and racing away to win over Jack Smith. He is one of the few drivers to win his debut races in NASCAR.

Sales had a busy year in 1951 when he raced in four competitions. The American had a fantastic year, placing no lower than 17th at Hillsboro and finishing 11th at North Wilkesboro, his only other top-10 finish. His best results in the top 10 were at Darlington and Martinsville.

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#5 Marvin Burke | Oakland, 1951

Marvin Burke only competed in one Grand National Series race, which he won. He started in the 32-place car field at Oakland in 1951. Burke moved to the front early and led 156 laps on his way to his first career victory in his debut.

Burke never raced again in NASCAR. He is one of just two drivers to win their lone NASCAR Cup Series race until that record was broken in 2023 by Shane Van Gisbergen.

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#6 Johnny Rutherford | Daytona, 1963

Smokey Yunick signed Johnny Rutherford as a rookie to drive his Chevrolet at Daytona in 1963. He stunned the racing world by achieving the quickest time in his maiden Daytona 500 at 165.183 mph, breaking the track record by more than nine miles per hour. He also took first place in one of the 100-mile qualification events.

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#7 Shane van Gisbergen | Chicago, 2023

NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220

Shane van Gisbergen won his NASCAR Cup Series debut in downtown Chicago on July 02, 2023, surpassing Justin Haley and Chase Elliott in a thrilling finale to the series' inaugural street race. V

an Gisbergen battled Haley in the last circuits after passing Elliott, until the three-time Supercars champion took the lead for good.

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How much did NASCAR spend on Chicago Street Race?

The most anticipated Chicago Street race was a major hit and it delivered a promising and thrilling race over the weekend, where a debut racer won the inaugural race in NASCAR history. But how much did NASCAR actually spend on building this street circuit?

According to the Chicago Sun Times, the race in downtown Chicago cost NASCAR more than $50 million. Even though the Chicago Street race will cost NASCAR more than $50 million, it is expected to bring in more than double that amount it spent back to the local economy. Over 65 percent of the half million attendees are expected to have come from outside of Chicago. Most revenues come from local restaurants and hotel reservations and local tourist attractions in Chicago.

The NASCAR event has received a great deal of criticism, both from fans and organizations of residents in Chicago. While racing enthusiasts have complained about numerous race-related issues such as race cars not exceeding 100 mph, having sound-restricting mufflers, and so forth, some Chicago residents strongly object to the concept of shutting down big areas of the city for a race. Nevertheless, the street race was a success.