NASCAR Cup Series

Who will be the next first-time winner of 2016 in Sprint Cup?

Published Jun. 3, 2016 10:06 a.m. ET

foxsports

The first half of the 26-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season has produced eight different winners in 13 races.

Kyle Busch, the defending series champion, leads the way with a trio of victories, while Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards are two-time winners. Series points leader Kevin Harvick has one victory to his credit so far in 2016, as do Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr.

If things hold true to form, in all probability there will be three to five more first-time 2016 winners between now and when the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins.

Here's who has the best chance of joining the list of winners.

5. KYLE LARSON -- Despite a lot of crashes and calamities this season, Young Money has picked it up in a big way. He came close to winning at Dover and he came close to winning again in the Sprint All-Star Race. The next time he is a position to win, look for him to finally seal the deal.

4. CHASE ELLIOTT -- Unlike a lot of rookies, Elliott has lived up to the hype that preceded his arrival into the Cup Series and the cockpit of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Elliott is an excellent eighth in points, and in the last seven races, he has four top fives and a worst finish of 12th. He's ready to win now.

3. DALE EARNHARDT JR. -- In the last five races, Earnhardt hasn't finished in the top 10. On the other hand, he was runner-up in three of the first eight races this season. Plus, Earnhardt has some good tracks coming up, with two races each at Pocono and Michigan this summer, both places where he has multiple wins.

2. JOEY LOGANO -- Hard to believe, but Logano is winless in points races so far this year, after leading the Cup Series with six victories last year. He did win the Sprint All-Star Race, though, is in the top 10 in points and his Penske teammate Keselowski has won twice.

1. KURT BUSCH -- There are a lot of factors weighing in Busch's favor to be the next first-time 2016 winner. Busch is a past series champion, is second in points behind his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Harvick right now and is riding a streak of seven consecutive top-10 finishes. It's a only a matter of time before he finds Victory Lane this summer.