Elliott was named the NASCAR Most Popular Driver for the seventh consecutive time at the NASCAR Awards in Charlotte. Elliott again held off stiff competition in the only NASCAR Award decided via fan voting. According to the National Motorsports Press Association, Elliott took the award over teammate Kyle Larson and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney.
Why Who Wins the Most Popular Driver Award Shouldn’t Make People Mad
There are plenty of ways in NASCAR to think of the best drivers. Some may think the Most Popular Driver Award says who the best driver in the sport is. That’s far from the truth. If that were true, would Dale Earnhardt Jr have won sixteen in a row?
No not when Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch racing against him. It’s not an award that is ever going to go to the sport’s “best driver”.
So for all those fans that get mad when Chase Elliott wins the award every year, sorry it’s not that big of a deal. Did fans care when his dad won it all the time back in the day? Probably not.
I’m sorry Chase is the son of Bill Elliott. That carries weight, just like when Dale Jr would win the award. I’m not out here hating on Chase and Dale by any means, I’m just sick of the hate towards Elliott.
Elliott picked up his seventh straight award, in a tight running against a teammate and a friend. While many did not see that as a shock, NASCAR fans were quick to turn this into a controversial point.
Wow! Most popular driver 7 years in a row. Cannot say thank you enough! You guys rock 👊🏼 #di9 pic.twitter.com/QHao5PJN15
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) November 23, 2024
Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. were among the other drivers who finished in the top five of the voting. Sure, everyone was up in arms, but they were not shocked by Elliott’s award win.
Elliott Speaks on Award Win
Chase has carried on a great legacy for the Most Popular Driver Award. His dad famously won the award a record 16 times, before ultimately removing his name from the ballot. Since the retirement of Dale Earnhardt Jr in 2017, Chase has been the banner carrier for what might as well be considered the Elliott-Earnhardt Award. As for if it gets boring winning the award every year, Elliott remains appreciative. He spoke about the importance of the award with the Associated Press.
” I don’t think it ever gets old,” Elliott said. ” I’m thankful for all of the folks around the country that pull for me and my team and genuinely want to see us do well. That to me is the part that doesn’t get old is whether you’re in Darlington, South Carolina Talladega, or somewhere out in California, it’s just crazy to me that we have been fortunate to be in the situation to have the type of support that we have. I don’t take that for granted.”
https://twitter.com/bobpockrass/status/1860128857841631518
Blaney who has tried to plead his case for the award over the last several years, spoke highly of his friend, and how no one else has a chance until Chase retires.
“He has a great fanbase that he has built on his own fans who loved watching Bill as well,” Blaney said. “I don’t know what it would take to beat him.”
He certainly isn’t wrong. Racing fans are loyal, no matter who the driver is. That’s why I don’t agree with some in the fanbase who make a big deal or complain when Chase wins the award.
Fans Have Lost Sight at What the Award Means:
No slight against Chase from me, but this award isn’t determining who the best driver is. I think sometimes fans misinterpret what the Most Popular Driver Award means.
Merchandise plays a huge part in who’s popular with the fans. No slight against any drivers, but when you look out at the Merchandise haulers at the race track, there is only one driver with his own. That’s Chase. Kyle Busch used to have his own, back in the day Dale Jr had his own. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson each had their own.
Sure it’s cheaper to have everyone from a race team at one hauler. But the most popular driver frankly deserves his own. So you know what finishing the top five in the voting is nothing to be ashamed of. For those fans who hate the award or for whatever reason dislike Chase, sorry it isn’t going to change.
