It is a general consensus in NASCAR that a driver needs 100 races – around three years – to become fully competent enough with their car and the tracks to get their first win and start winning on a consistent basis.
However, there are 10 drivers in the modern era who have defied this logic and have need less than 50 races to not only earn their first win; but to win three times! And two of them are seven time Cup Series champions.
Dick Hutcherson was the first driver to achieve the milestone and reached it in 1965 with a win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway on his 29th start!
Bobby Allison needed 38 races to earn his third win at Beltsville Speedway in 1966.
A.J. Foyt got career win number three in 1970 after just 35 starts at Riverside International Raceway.
In his 31st start, Pete Hamilton earned win number three at Talladega Superspeedway in 1970.
Dale Earnhardt Sr got career win number three early in the 1980 season at Bristol Motor Speedway after just 42 starts.
Davey Allison needed 49 starts – the most – to earn win number three in 1988 at Michigan International Speedway.
“Smoke” Tony Stewart got his third win at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 1999 after just 33 starts.
Jimmie Johnson gave fans a taste of what was to come in 2002 when he earned career win number three defeating Miles the Monster at Dover Motor Speedway in start number 31.
It took Mr. Back Flip himself Car Edwards 46 races to earn win number three in 2005 at Atlanta Motor Speedway – now EchoPark Speedway.
And the most recent driver to achieve the feat is New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen who earned career win number three last weekend on the street course in Chicago after sweeping the weekend by winning both the Xfinity and Cup Series races. It was NASCAR Cup Series start number 33 for the three time Australian SuperCars champion.