Never forget your first: Who will be Supercars' next first-time race winner?

There are 37 chances to win a race in the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship.

For half of the 24-strong field that will contest the championship full-time, that's 37 chances to claim a first career win.

For the 2025 season, we predicted that there would be three first-time winners. Cameron Hill and Ryan Wood added their name to the honour roll in the first 14 races, however no one else would become a first-time winner in the next 20.

Perhaps licking our wounds, we put a twist on our first-time winners prediction for 2026, and said that at least one of the five rookies on the grid will become a race winner before the end of the year.

Alongside the rookies, there are a further seven drivers on the grid who are yet to taste victory in Supercars, however some have come oh so close.

Close, but no cigar

Of the drivers on the 2026 grid who are yet to record their first win, three have already stood on the podium. Leading that brigade is Thomas Randle, who has picked up silverware 10 times in his career without taking to the top step, doing so twice last year in Sydney and Tasmania. Kai Allen has five podiums to his name after a stunning rookie campaign saw him progress all the way to the bp Adelaide Grand Final, and with both drivers remaining with Tickford and Penrite Racing respectively, they'll be eager to break their ducks and make the most of continuity. The final driver in this group is James Golding, who would've claimed his first win last year on the greatest of stages in Bathurst had it not been for a penalty. Now at a Blanchard Racing Team on the rise and armed with Triple Eight support, he'll be eager to establish himself as team leader.

Looking to collect some silverware

Four drivers who have previous full-time experience are yet to finish on the podium in Supercars, the most experienced of whom is Macauley Jones with 232 career starts. However, last year there were extremely encouraging signs with several top 10 qualifying efforts and race results, highlighted by leading laps on route to a career best fifth in Tasmania, and with Toyota arriving it could be a big year for BJR. Cooper Murray, Aaron Cameron, and Declan Fraser all have one season of full-time experience, and will be eager to utilise it. Murray and Cameron both had moments where they were race-leading revelations last year at Bathurst and Adelaide respectively, whilst Fraser was crowned Super2 champion with Triple Eight in 2022, and has been handed a lifeline at PremiAir Racing by Roland Dane.

Rapid rookies

Finally, there's the five rookies, who whilst perhaps shouldn't be expected to win, will be wanting to make a name for themselves. Reigning Super2 champion Rylan Gray is perhaps best placed to win in his rookie season, having landed a plum drive at Dick Johnson Racing alongside Brodie Kostecki. 2024 Super2 champion Zach Bates will be keen to to extend Matt Stone Racing's run of winning seasons to four, whilst Jobe Stewart will be looking to return Erebus to the winner's circle after stunning many in his first two starts in last year's Enduro Cup. Jackson Walls will have a brand-new Triple Eight-built Mustang at his disposal when he makes his first career start at Sydney with SCT Motorsport, whilst Jayden Ojeda already has five races and a Top Ten Shootout run at PremiAir Racing under his belt.