NASCAR’s Most Crash-Prone Drivers In 2025

Virtually every NASCAR Cup Series race features multiple crashes.

But who are NASCAR’s most crash-prone drivers? On the flipside, who are the drivers most likely to still be running at the checkered flag?

In just a moment, we’ll answer both questions. But here are some important notes to consider before we dive into the data:

• We have compared each driver’s RAF (running at the finish) numbers to the total number of NASCAR Cup Series races he’s entered. The percentages below equal the number of races each driver hasn’t finished divided by how many career starts he’s made in the Cup Series. The overall percent metric isn’t perfect since it doesn’t for non-crash-related DNFs.
• Michael McDowell 2.0 ranks seventh among drivers who finish most often. However, McDowell would be the most-crash prone driver if the data included all of his races. His stats here don’t factor in his results from 2009-2013, when he competed for particularly low-end teams. McDowell’s finishes during those years significantly skew his overall crash data. 
• All data has been collated after the most recent NASCAR Cup Series points race, held at Kansas Speedway on May 11.

The NASCAR Drivers Who Finish The Least

Here are the 10 NASCAR Cup Series drivers from the recent past who have the highest percentage of races not finished over the course of their careers.

1. J.J. Yeley: 29.5%
2. Cody Ware: 25.4%
3. Josh Berry: 23.3%
4. Noah Gragson: 23.0%
5. B.J. McLeod: 19.9%
6. Justin Allgaier: 19.3%
7. Harrison Burton: 18.3%
8. Landon Cassill: 18.1%
9. Ryan Preece: 17.6%
10. Josh Bilicki: 15.7%

This data, available at the highly authoritative RacingReference.com managed by NASCAR, shows that perennial backmarker J.J. Yeley is easily NASCAR’s most crash-prone driver. That’s not surprising, given that Yeley has never gone to Victory Lane in 390 career starts, which included a multi-year stint with powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing.

Cody Ware being near the top is also no surprise. Ware has never raced for an even remotely competitive team, driving exclusively for his family-owned Rick Ware Racing that for years was nothing more than a start-and-park outfit.

Far more surprising to see so high on the list is Berry, who comes in at No. 3 among NASCAR’s most crash-prone drivers. Most of Berry’s Cup Series starts have come for Stewart-Haas Racing, Hendrick Motorsports or Wood Brothers Racing.

Although SHR ceased operations at the end of 2024, it was a competitive organization and winner of two Cup Series championships. Hendrick Motorsports, of course, is the all-time wins leader in NASCAR Cup Series history. Wood Brothers Racing, birthed in 1950, is NASCAR’s longest continuously operating organization. Though a single-car outfit, the Wood Brothers have a close technical alliance with Team Penske that gives Berry race cars good enough to win on many weekends. 

The NASCAR Drivers Who Finish The Most

Now, here are the 10 NASCAR Cup Series drivers from the recent past who are the least crash-prone:

1. Brad Keselowski: 7.0%
2. Denny Hamlin: 8.5%
3. Joey Logano: 9.3%
4. Chris Buescher: 9.4%
5. Chase Elliott: 9.6%
6. Todd Gilliland: 10.0%
7. Michael McDowell 2.0: 10.9%
8. Ty Dillon: 10.9%
9. Chase Briscoe: 10.9%
10. Austin Dillon: 11.2%

Keselowski being the driver with the best finishing rate makes perfect sense. As the co-owner of RFK Racing, he’s the one who has to foot the repair bill when a car gets wrecked. So, naturally, Keselowski is probably going to take measures that others may not to bring equipment home in one piece.

Unlike Keselowski, Hamlin does not own the cars he drives. However, Hamlin is the co-owner of 23XI Racing alongside NBA legend Michael Jordan. So it’s  fitting that the three-time Daytona 500 winner prioritizes taking care of his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

As for Logano, he is the reigning and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. Despite being one of the sport’s most aggressive drivers, the Team Penske wheelman has learned how, at least for the most part, to be around at the end of races.

The Dillon boys’ inclusion here is also appropriate. Their grandfather is NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress, who undoubtedly instilled in them long ago why they should take care of their equipment.

Notably absent from the list of NASCAR’s most crash-prone drivers and least crash-prone drivers is current Cup Series points leader Kyle Larson. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is surprisingly reckless, though, having failed to finish 14.6% of the time and just missed the cut for NASCAR’s most crash-prone drivers.

Asked after winning two weekends ago at Kansas how it is that nothing seems to bother him all that much, Larson itted it could be connected to his tendency to crash a lot.

“Maybe I’ve hit stuff enough,” he said.