Top lap leaders in NASCAR Cup Series without a win

Of the 15 drivers to lead a lap last Sunday in the Ambetter Health 400, four drivers have yet to win a NASCAR Cup Series race.

Those four drivers included Josh Berry, who led 58 laps; Todd Gilliland, who led seven laps; and B.J. McLeod and Cody Ware each pacing the field for one lap at Atlanta.

Based on available historical records, Mike Skinner is the all-time lap leader among drivers who never won a NASCAR Cup Series points race.

Skinner, who drove full-time in the Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing from 1997 to 2001, led 1,029 laps across his Cup Series career that spanned four total decades. 

Skinner led the most laps in four races and finished a career-best second-place once (Talladega, Apr. 2000).

Skinner was not aware until 2021 that he had the record for most laps led without a win, along with two other records.

“We were probably the best team that just couldn’t get the final straw, the final deal, and we sat on the pole and dominated several races,” Skinner said.

Joe Ruttman, whose NASCAR racing career spanned five decades, has the second-most laps without a victory at 807. He led the most laps in a race twice and finished a career-best second-place three times. 

Third all-time is active racer Ty Gibbs, who is in his third full-time season with Joe Gibbs Racing.

With his career-best finish of second-place once (Darlington 2024), Gibbs has led 531 laps and has led the most laps in an event once (Chicago Street Course 2024).

Banjo Matthews (495 laps led) and Rick Mast (478) round out the all-time Top-5 list in this category.

In theory, the list could have more drivers or more laps led without a win. Of the 2,654 NASCAR Cup Series points races held, 146 races (spanning from 1951 to 1974) do not have data on who led laps.

List of drivers with laps led without a victory (minimum 75 laps led) (As of Atlanta 2025)
Mike Skinner 1,029
Joe Ruttman 807
Ty Gibbs 531
Banjo Matthews 495
Rick Mast 478
Hut Stricklin 476
Tommy Irwin 352
Matt DiBenedetto 334
Dave Blaney 301
Todd Bodine 276
Ted Musgrave 266
Jeff Green 265
Kenny Wallace 258
Rick Wilson 216
Joe Millikan 213
Butch Lindley 200
John Sears 185
Scott Riggs 184
Dick Trickle 184
Curley Barker 182
Ryan Preece 182
Robert Pressley 181
Kenny Irwin, Jr. 179
Corey LaJoie 178
Josh Berry 165
J.D. McDuffie 162
Reed Sorenson 160
Todd Gilliland 148
G.C. Spencer 148
Bucky Sager 146
Mike Wallace 145
Bud Moore 144
Friday Hassler 139
Casey Atwood 137
Glenn Dunaway 134
Richard Childress 133
Jim Vandiver 117
Chad Little 111
Ralph Earnhardt 105
Jesse James Taylor 104
Coo Coo Marlin 101
Travis Kvapil 99
David Sisco 98
Sam Hornish Jr. 93
Dave MacDonald 92
Ty Dillon 90
Kevin Lepage 90
J.J. Yeley 86
Dick Meyer 82
Allen Adkins 79
Sonny Hutchins 79
David Gilliland 76

BOLD indicates active driver.