Ranking NASCAR’s rising stars to watch in 2026

The next Cup Series star in the making is already waiting in the wings, and in stock car racing, the final two steps before the big show on Sunday are the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS)

Last year, we named Connor Zilisch as our No. 1 prospect, and it should surprise no one that he went on to dominate the season as an Xfinity Series driver (now O’Reilly Auto Parts). He now heads to the Cup Series as the full-time driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet.

But who will be the next driver to join the stars on the sport on the Cup grid? Only considering drivers under the age of 25, we examined their stats and their outlook for the 2026 season to select our top prospects for the upcoming year.

You can also find our list focusing on the rising stars of IndyCar HERE.

1. Corey Heim (23) – ???

Corey Heim, TRICON Garage Toyota

Topping our list is a driver in a very confusing situation. He is without a full-time ride. We expect to see him in a part-time Cup ride with 23XI Racing again (he even finished sixth in the Bristol Night Race last year), but it’s shocking that the reigning Truck Series champion and one of the brightest young talents in the sport will not be competing for a title in 2026. It’s absurd, and yet, here we are. Just how good was Heim in 2025? Well, we did an entire story about all the different Truck Series records he broke, several of which were standing since the 1990s. Surely, he won’t be on the sidelines for long as he is clearly a generational talent, and 23XI obviously has a keen interest in him, but for now, his future remains unclear.

2. Brent Crews (17) – #19 Joe Gibbs Racing (NOAPS)

Brent Crews, Toyota

Crews will compete in 29 of 33 races for Joe Gibbs Racing in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this year. The only reason he won’t do the other four is simply because he isn’t old enough. The 17-year-old Toyota Development Driver has won six of the 17 ARCA races he’s entered, and nearly became a Truck Series winner this past year. He made NCTS ten starts with Tricon, scoring two top fives and three top tens. But at the Charlotte Roval, he led 53 of 70 laps before finishing second. He will also be eligible for the NOAPS title in 2026, as he can apply for a playoff waiver for those missed races since it was due to an age restriction.

3. Kaden Honeycutt (22) – #11 Tricon Garage (NCTS)

Kaden Honeycutt, Halmar-Friesen Racing Toyota

Honeycutt already impressed throughout 2025, and should have visited Victory Lane at least once. The 22-year-old started the year with Niece Motorsports and ended it with Halmar-Friesen Racing, but that didn’t stop him from driving all the way to the Championship 4 and ending the season third in points. But 2026 could be his year as he will inherit the championship-winning No. 11 from Heim. While it’s massive shoes to fill, it’s also an incredible opportunity as he will have the fastest truck in the field at his disposal.

4. Jesse Love (20) – #2 Richard Childress Racing (NOAPS)

Jesse Love, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Entering 2025, Love was already an ARCA champion, winning ten of twenty races when he claimed the 2023 crown in dominant fashion. But just a couple of months ago, he came out of seemingly nowhere to win the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series title, snatching it away from Zilisch in the season finale. He had to scratch and claw through every round, but shocked us all when he came out on top. The Richard Childress Racing driver then journeyed to Australia to take part in the Super 2 finale at the Adelaide Street Circuit, and will now compete in the Chili Bowl Nationals. His surprise title definitely bumped him up this list. However, Love may now feel he has something more to prove as there are some online voices that question his status as ‘champion’ due to the format used, so he will surely be determined to silence those voices in 2026. He’s also closer to Cup than most on this list, as he ran five Cup races with RCR last year.

5. Layne Riggs (23) – #34 Front Row Motorsports (NCTS)

Layne Riggs, Front Row Motorsports Ford

Riggs was the only driver who managed to put up any sort of fight against Heim during the 2025 NCTS season, winning three races. However, he narrowly missed the Championship 4 and missed out on a shot at the crown, ending the year fifth in points. But if you remove Heim from the equation, Riggs led all other drivers in race wins, laps led, top fives, poles, and average finish. He will get another shot with FRM this year, and without Heim, he is clearly the early title favorite.

6. Carson Kvapil (22) – JR Motorsports (NOAPS)

Carson Kvapil, JR Motorsports, Clarience Technologies Chevrolet Camaro

You may have noticed that we didn’t include a car number for Kvapil, and that’s because he will be driving more than one car number for JRM in 2026. His duties will be split between cars, and he will work with different crew chiefs as part of a unique dynamic with how they pieced together his full-time schedule. Kvapil is a driver we expected more out of in 2025, but that should be seen as a compliment, because he still made it all the way to the Championship 4 with JRM. Despite a strong showing in the playoffs, he still went winless and was the only full-time JRM driver not to visit Victory Lane. But still, we know the talent is there and a second year with JR Motorsports might be the breakout season for the young driver.

7. Rajah Caruth (23) – #88 JR Motorsports / #32 Jordan Anderson Racing (NOAPS)

Rajah Caruth, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Like Kvapil, Caruth will have a unique way of competing in all 33 NOAPS races this year. He will run 23 races with JRM, and the other ten with Jordan Anderson. There is a large gap in equipment between these two organizations, and it will be fascinating to watch Caruth navigate that as he tries to pull JAR up through the pack while also living up the expectations of any JRM driver. Caruth spent the last three years full-time in Trucks, winning twice and placing as high as sixth in the championship standings. During that time period, he has made various starts in the secondary division, so he does have some experience with these cars. He will continue to have the support of Hendrickcars.com, and Rick Hendrick is a great ally to have for any rising star. But this will be a big test for Caruth as he takes the next step in his NASCAR journey, leaving behind the Truck Series.

8. Corey Day (20) – #17 Hendrick Motorsports (NOAPS)

Corey Day, Chevrolet

An acolyte of Kyle Larson and often compared to him due to their similar backgrounds, Day will get the chance to compete full-time in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026. He will be driving for Hendrick Motorsports, so he will have all the best resources at his fingertips as he embarks on a full season campaign. Day has shown flashes of speed so far in his young NASCAR career, but there have been a lot of unforced errors as well. In eleven starts this past year with HMS, he finished as high as fourth at Las Vegas, but he was very hot and cold, averaging a 15.9 finish for the year. He also ran nine Truck races with Spire, placing as high as second at IRP, so again, the speed is there. 2026 will be about putting it all together for Day, and with Hendrick’s full backing, it will be all about if he can rise to the occasion.

9. Chandler Smith (23) – #38 Front Row Motorsports (NCTS)

Chandler Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford

Smith’s career has taken him on an uncertain path, but he’s still winning races, and that’s what is really important. The 23-year-old has three wins in the secondary level of NASCAR, and finished as high as fifth in the standings in 2024. Despite some uncertainty surrounding where he would end up in 2025, he found a ride with FRM in the Truck Series. While it may look like a step in the wrong direction, he made the most of it with two wins, bringing his NCTS career win total to seven. If he can step it up and match the level of performance we saw from his teammate Riggs in 2026, then Smith could still have a long future in the sport.

10. Taylor Gray (20) – #54 Joe Gibbs Racing (NOAPS)

Taylor Gray, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

The younger Gray brother really likes Martinsville Speedway. In 2024, he nearly won a critical NCTS playoff race there, which would have vaulted him into the Championship 4. Instead, he got wrecked, and ended the season sixth in points. The Toyota driver then made the step up to the Xfinity Series for 2025, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. He again got wrecked out of the lead at Martinsville, but later in the season, he found some redemption and became a winner at the secondary level of NASCAR there. He ended the season seventh in points in a respectable showing by the rookie. However, as a JGR driver, he better reach that next level of performance in 2026. The potential is there, but time will tell if it leads anywhere for the 20-year-old racer.

Honorable mention – Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen

Brenden Queen, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

He’s a bit older than everyone else on this list, so he doesn’t fit the ‘under 25’ requirement, but this is still a driver worth mentioning. Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen has stolen the hearts of fans, and a lot of trophies lately too. The 28-year-old late model star dominated the 2025 ARCA Menards Series championship, winning eight races and taking the crown. In 2024, he finished fourth in his Truck Series debut at North Wilkesboro, which turned some heads as well. Since then, he has found a home at Kaulig Racing, a team that signed him as part of their brand new Truck Series program with Ram. In 2026, he will compete for the NCTS title with Kaulig and the Stellantis brand. Kaulig has a history of being loyal to their drivers, and should he excel in the upcoming year, there is a possible path for him to Cup if Kaulig were interested in taking him to the next level.