Chase Elliott Fan Admiration: Chase Elliott secured his grip on the NASCAR most popular driver accolade for the sixth consecutive year, overcoming a challenging season that marked the lowest point in his career.
Despite missing seven races and failing to secure a spot in the playoffs this season, Elliott’s absence at Thursday night’s season-ending awards ceremony at the Music City Center didn’t deter him from picking up the exclusive award, uniquely decided by fan votes.
In the voting results disclosed by the National Motorsports Press Association, Elliott emerged triumphant over the newly crowned NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson.
The lineage of popularity within the Elliott family dates back to Bill Elliott, the 2020 Cup champion and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, who clinched the most popular driver award a record 16 times. Elliott voluntarily withdrew his name from the ballot, paving the way for Chase Elliott’s continued legacy in the sport.
Addressing the significance of the award, Elliott humbly remarked, Really this award, in my eyes, has been a reflection and an extension of my familys place in the sport. I recognize my spot in line and recognize what theyve done. The reason it is special is because of the fans and how supportive they have been to my entire family, myself included, over the years, and I am so grateful for what they do for us. Theyve been phenomenal.
The Elliott name or the Earnhardt legacy has perpetually dominated NASCAR’s most popular driver award for 33 consecutive years, with Dale Earnhardt Sr. winning in 2001 and Dale Earnhardt Jr. clinching it for the subsequent 15 years.
Elliott faced a winless 2023 season and encountered his first absence from the playoffs in his eight Cup seasons. His setbacks included missing six races due to a snowboarding injury resulting in a broken leg and a one-race suspension for an intentional collision with Denny Hamlin in the Coca-Cola 600.
He concluded the season in the 17th position in the final Cup standings, reflecting on the challenges, Elliott commented, Last year was rough in a lot of ways, but thats life, you learn to continue to grow and reinvent yourself in new ways. As Ive continued down this journey, you start to experience things youve never experienced before, and this year was one of them for me. I look at next year as an opportunity to grow and be a better driver, be a better person and come out really strong at Daytona when we start our season.
In other categories, Justin Allgaier secured the honor of being voted the most popular driver of the Xfinity Series, while Hailie Deegan clinched the title of most popular driver in the Truck Series.
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Our Reader’s Queries
Is Chase Elliott a nice guy?
Chase Elliott is a beloved NASCAR driver, known for his calm and amiable demeanor. However, even the most composed individuals have their breaking points. Here are five instances where Chase was left fuming.
What did Danielle Trotta say about Chase Elliott?
During a recent NASCAR SiriusXM radio interview, Trotta expressed her disapproval of Elliott’s actions against his playoff teammate, deeming it “unacceptable.” She emphasized the importance of exercising better judgment, especially when it comes to racing against someone on your own team.
How popular is Chase Elliott?
Chase Elliott has once again been crowned as the NASCAR Cup Series‘ Most Popular Driver for the sixth year in a row. This impressive feat is a testament to his unwavering popularity among fans of the sport. It’s clear that his talent on the track and his engaging personality off it have won over the hearts of many. Congratulations to Chase on this well-deserved honor!
Why did Jimmy Johnson push Chase Elliott?
As his teammate revved his engine, Johnson assumed he was getting ready to do some burnouts. Approaching him with a thumbs up, Johnson quickly realized that his teammate’s car had stalled. Without hesitation, Johnson backed up and pushed his teammate’s car to get it started again. As they made their way down the road, Johnson couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride as he watched his teammate’s arm pumping in excitement.
