Kevin Harvick 6. However, my quest to win in NASCAR continues. Politics aren't exactly something people talk about in happiness. The image of Bodine being carted off to the ambulance, all the while trying to take off his oxygen mask, earned the respect of everyone. That will never happen again, guaranteed. It seems likely that his five consecutive championships will join the mark of Richard Pettys 200 Cup wins as records that will never be broken. The official NASCAR Twitter account shared an image of the current top 10 most popular drivers as voting for the Most Popular Driver continues. It can be both behind the wheel and behind the scenes. But, when he announced that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer in 2006, everyone was wondering how long Parsons would be around to provide insight to the drivers. There were weeks when fans and drivers celebrated Chastains wins and his production on the track, especially considering how he had previously driven for underfunded teams across the national series. He'll have a lot of votes from the fansthat's for sure. Probably the fiercest rival to Richard Petty in the 1960s and 1970s was David Pearson. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Oympics. I see the hats and the t-shirts and all that stuff is noticed. Adam had such a bright future, but his name continues to live on as part of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. When he won the season finale at Homestead, Hamlin made the point to say that his team would win a championship in the next few years. After teaming up with Michael Waltrip Racing to drive the "Aaron's Dream Machine" in the Sprint Cup Series, Reutimann has gained his own following of fans. He drove cars like there was no tomorrow. When he joined NASCAR in 2016, Scott lent immediate credibility to the position. Rebuilding will be my top priority. 8.1 Full-time drivers. The fans have grown to appreciate this young talent, and have also been introduced to a new way of celebrating a win. Elliott continued his career with his own team in the mid-1990s but got a resurgence in 2001 when he signed with Evernham Motorsports to bring Dodge back to NASCAR and also bring back the No. NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers is an alphabetical list of NASCAR drivers. But, it was his death the following year that really showed how well he was liked. Earnhardt didn't show much emotion, but the loss hit him hard as everyone could tell. After just two races, McMurray put his name on the map as he won at Charlotte. Hes a Cup Series champion, he has a sizable fanbase, and hes the son of Bill Elliott. 8. It was almost as though the driver was a human jack-in-the-box. It was termed "Allison Wonderland" in 1988 as Bobby won the Daytona 500 with son Davey placing second. 1 of 20. 10 car full-time for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. David Pearson A three-time champion. Voting has opened for the National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award, presented by Hooters, providing daily opportunities for people to weigh in. He drives a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and his car number is 8. But, when Edwards won his first race, he decided to do something different, and at the same time, save the equipment. He scored his best points finish second in 1991. 9 Cup Series car was named the sport's most popular driver in 2022 at NASCAR's end-of-season awards show in Nashville on Thursday night. Tim Richmond Richmond had a short but brilliant career, winning 13 times across seven seasons. Honorable mentions: Jeff Burton, Jim Paschal, Curtis Turner, Geoffrey Bodine, Buddy Baker, Greg Biffle, Neil Bonnett, Harry Gant. Elliott won three races for Evernham, including the Brickyard 400 in 2002. When he joined NASCAR in 2016, Scott lent immediate credibility to the position. However, he still has a long way to go to beat his dad, Bill Elliott, who won the award 16 times. It has been a great experience over the years seeing him grow and become a very talented driver.. He was popular especially for the commercials he did with UPS. It's not the track promoters that spend the money in commercials, and it is certainly not the sponsors getting their product exposure every weekend. Another three races, he gave the entire NASCAR community a chance to heal as he took the GM Goodwrench Chevrolet to victory lane in Atlanta after a photo finish with Jeff Gordon. Probst, who most recently held the title of senior vice president of racing innovation, oversaw the development and evolution of the Next Gen race car. Sawyer joined NASCAR in February of 2015 as managing director of the Craftsman Truck Series. But, at the same time fans began to get tired of seeing his title run, and some jeers came his way. Junior Johnson Johnson was the opposite of a points racer. He loved to party, was boisterous and at the same time could drive a race car. Jimmie Johnson As time passes, his accomplishments will be further revered. Although early in his career he didn't get the breaks he needed, it was Rick Hendrick that saw the potential. A former Busch Series champion as well, Kenseth's cool demeanor has been very popular with the fans because he's not one to get angry. Kyle Busch Two-time Cup champion whose 59 wins ranks ninth on the all-time wins list and hes only 36 years old. As will young NASCAR stars Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe, and Ryan Blaney, who look to claim glory as they climb the NASCAR rankings. And, much like his fellow driver Alan Kulwicki, he was taken away from the sport way too quickly. He was told he needed two spots to punch his ticket, so he went out and got them by riding the wall on the final turns and gaining enough spots to get himself into the championship four. 2. This 1939 GMC . Fred Lorenzen "Fearless" Freddy, smart, fast and handsome, was a runaway star in Cup racing in the 1960s. Chase Elliott is the most popular driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, but this year's most popular Xfinity Series driver might be just as obvious. More News. His loss hit everyone hard in the sport, but much like the slogan for Allison since his death, he truly is gone but not forgotten. He won the Daytona 500 and had an opportunity to win the championship in 1992, only to have a wreck take him out of the running. But even before his title, Labonte had gotten the break he needed to become a very strong and very popular driver. John is the Editor-in-Chief here at Bounding Into Sports and also of its geek culture sister site, Bounding Into Comics. Over the years, many talented drivers have chased the championship, won dozens of races, come close to winning the title trophy and built Hall of Fame careers, all while failing to reach that ultimate goal. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nascar | pageType: stories | That popularity among his peers and fans earned him a spot in the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class. NASCAR Drivers; No. 2. Is it someone who is defined by his fan base, by the respect in the garage, the amount of merchandise sold or a combination of all three? His career ended in 1960 after a crash at Daytona, but he has forever been credited as being one of the pioneers of the sport we know today. Dale Earnhardt Jr has been NASCAR's most popular driver for 14 straight years. In 2004 at Rockingham, Long made the lineup, but he and some other drivers on the starting grid had the unfortunate term of "field fillers." As the youngest of the Wallace brothers, Kenny has earned the popularity of his peers and the fans for being one of the more humorous figures in the garage. But, Carl Long does have a place on this list because it was one incident that sparked his popularity among the fans. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, both saw spikes in crowd support. 45 cap with the number blackened out in the middle, signifying that no one will run that number in NASCAR. Since joining NASCAR in 2014, Jacuzzi has led the team tasked to design the aerodynamic elements of the race vehicles for all three national series including the Next Gen car as well as the Garage 56 car scheduled to run in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. One thing is for sure, the "Ice Man" was always cool when behind the wheel. When Jimmie Johnson came to Cup competition in 2002, he made an immediate impact with the fans and drivers by winning the pole in the Daytona 500. Elliott earned Most Popular Driver honors through a fan vote. That name is Petty. Martin's final year of full-time driving looks to be in 2011, but it's safe to say this man is not going to lose any popularity among his peers when he walks away. After more than 40 years around race cars week after week, its time to step back and look at the next chapter of my life in motorsports, Miller said. 1. From 1995-98, he claimed three championships, finished second in the points once and won 40 of 127 races (31.5%). Los Angeles will host the 2028 Oympics. But, it's the man outside those statistics that make him the most popular driver, and man, in NASCAR history. You can vote for the Most Popular Driver here. Smith joins a group of Daytona 500 entries, including Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana, who will be battling for one of four non-charter spots in the starting field. 1954 - Lee Petty. Johnson won six NASCAR titles as a car owner, three each from Cale Yarborough (1976-1978) and Darrell Waltrip (1981-1982, 1985). But, Gordon has changed the last few years in his career. 9 NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series drivers. Please feel free to share your thoughts about our greatest NASCAR drivers ranking, in our comments section. It's appropriate that this year Jarrett is being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as he rightfully earned the spot. Jarrett provided great insight into the drivers, their thought process and was part of the great TNN coverage team with Eli Gold and Buddy Baker. Not very many drivers can say they spent the majority of their career with one team, but in the case of Rusty Wallace, that is the case. Joey Lagano, 1939 GMC Pickup. Now, his own "Junior Nation" follows him loyally but has been frustrated. Cassill, 33, drove the No. By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Sports January 12, 2023 - 1:36 PM After two days of debate, photos confirmed Petty's claim, and he will forever be known as the first winner of the Daytona 500. It is a shame that he was taken so suddenly. While Elliott took home Most Popular Driver honors for the Cup Series, the award was also given to two star drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series. 2 of 20. When he died in 2001, NASCAR itself lost something. We are thrilled that Scott Miller has chosen to remain a key part of the NASCAR competition team. 9. 10/10 10. In 1995, he signed on with Joe Gibbs Racing to race the No. Everyone knew what Petty meant to this sport. [1][2], "Dale Jr. wins NASCAR's Most Popular Driver, reveals wedding date", "Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins NASCAR Most Popular Driver award for 15th time", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NASCAR%27s_Most_Popular_Driver_Award&oldid=1125068393. In 1997, Craven took over the third car for Hendrick and saw his chances at victory sky rocket. After running to the front of the field, he and Kurt Busch had an intense battle that saw both bump and beat on each other for seven corners. Since joining NASCAR in 2014, Jacuzzi has led the team tasked to design the aerodynamic elements of the race vehicles for all three national series including the Next Gen car as well as the Garage 56 car scheduled to run in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. These will be tremendous prizes for our drivers who are competing inside a venue thats hosted two Olympic Games and is preparing for a third, said Ben Kennedy, NASCARs senior vice president for racing development and strategy. NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award is awarded to the most popular NASCAR driver in the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series every year since 1956. In 1986, he won seven races and finished third in points. Thanks to @C_Rice1 and @MattKaulig for the shot in 2022, and for being a great team. The 2018 NMPA Most Popular Driver will be announced during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards program Thursday, Nov. 29 at Wynn Las Vegas. In a Wednesday morning tweet, Cassill said he plans to continue racing. Ricky Rudd Rudd drove for numerous teams, including his own, and won 23 times. Most Popular Driver - NASCAR Cup Series | Official Site Of NASCAR Skip to content Top Nav Tickets Shop Quick Links: Schedule 2022 Results Clash Schedule Daytona Schedule NASCAR on TV. pic.twitter.com/4PPjDbCy0J. I have been a proud member of this extraordinary team for eight years, and I look forward to continuing to help grow the outstanding competition weve seen over the last several seasons, Sawyer said. Whether it was at the wheel of the Home Depot car, the Office Depot Chevrolet or his own late model, Tony Stewart is one of the most talked about and popular drivers to come into NASCAR in the last decade. However, my quest to win in NASCAR continues. In NASCAR, he became arguably the most popular driver of the 2000s by winning 49 career Cup Series races from 1999-2016. But, Lorenzen did it simply because it was something he wanted to do. No driver will ever reach the popularity of Pettyand that is fact. From that point on, it was hard to argue that Childress would be popular in NASCAR. Jeff Gordon 3. NASCARs Top 10 for Most Popular Driver Has Surprising Names, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. It was thanks in part to him becoming an owner and signing a very tough, very rugged and no-nonsense driver in Dale Earnhardt. Since then, "Cousin Carl" has been doing back flips in the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup Series after each victory. Richard Petty Honorable Mentions FAQ Who are the wealthiest NASCAR drivers? His transition to the broadcast booth is one of the smoothest by any former driver. Despite only competing in 20 or less events a year, Allison was one that every driver knew could be a winner at any point. He won 37 of his 76 career victories during that time period. Practice and qualifying will take place Feb. 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Junior, who won 26 times in Cup, repeated much of his fathers successes on the sports biggest tracks but fell short of joining him in scoring championships. Prior to joining NASCAR, Sawyer served as director of team operations for IMSAs Action Express Racing. Here are some of the most famous NASCAR drivers who are considered the all-time best in the sport. He says that the he felt he should have finished second to Dale that afternoon, and since his passing, he has felt that is how it was meant to be. Finished second in the points three times. 2/2 During this period, Ill be training and preparing for the opportunity to win. He won the Southern 500 six times and the Brickyard 400 five times. But, as far as popularity, you can't hate someone for doing what they wanted in life. Weatherly started stock car racing in 1952, winning 49 of the 83 races he entered, a staggering winning percentage. Allison remains one of the most popular drivers from the early days and continues the legacy of one of the more famous names in NASCAR. These days, Wallace is always a fixture at the track, especially when ESPN is doing the races. The Cup Series returns Aug. 8 at Watkins Glen International (3 p.m. Another driver turned broadcaster that saw some success in NASCAR was Ricky Craven. Regardless of where Chastain finishes in the final voting, there is no denying that his 2022 season featured a significant number of changes in terms of public opinion. Later in 1988, Allison had a near fatal accident at Pocono that caused major head injuries, forcing him to retire. It's hard to say, but Hamlin made the most of the opportunity. He was at his best in the big races. LAS VEGAS - Dale Earnhardt Jr. is NASCAR's most popular driver for the seventh consecutive year. Another member of the Alabama Gang, Bobby Allison's career is one that is among the finest in NASCAR. 3 to the track, and we still see a hauler bearing his number in the souvenir areas. Only question among everyone in the sport that keeps coming up is "Could he continue this dominance?". He got the big break he was looking for thanks to Dale Earnhardt in 2001. He died in a helicopter crash in 1993. No other driver, or personality for that matter, will take as much time with his fans to sign an autograph, talk to people and give the time of day to drivers. Long continued to race, but after an engine fiasco at the Sprint All-Star Race a few years ago that saw him penalized $250,000, we didn't hear much from him. NASCAR's 15-time Most Popular Driver and winner of two Daytona 500s, Dale Earnhardt Jr., hosts his very own podcast, The Dale Jr Download on Dirty Mo Media. In those five seasons, he won 50 of his 243 starts (20.6%). Kurt Busch became popular probably in the most unorthodox of ways. The "Candyman" himself has finally been taken down the list of the most hated active NASCAR drivers. Kenny is still competing in the Nationwide Series, but it's his antics on the pre-race and post-race shows that put him on this list. If there was ever a driver that seemed to be made to be popular, it is David Reutimann. No matter what, he will still have a following, but the frustration will need to turn to celebration. The medal ceremony will take place on a podium in Victory Lane, which will be located beneath the Olympic cauldron at the Coliseum. It's easy to remember and fans know when they hear that name who is being talked about. Im hoping that comes true in this years Daytona 500.. Kyle was third in line in the family to drive and had a very successful career in NASCAR. NASCAR TV schedule: Week of Jan. 16-22, 2023. . By Staff Report | Thursday, December 1, 2022. Most recently, he held the role of NASCAR vice president, technical inspection and officiating, a role he assumed in 2016. But who is the most popular driver of all-time? Voting for Most Popular Driver does not close until November 30, one day before the NASCAR Champions Banquet, so there is plenty of time for Blaney to take one more shot at his fellow driver. Marcis found a unique way to protect his feet from the heat of the exhaust while in the carwing-tipped shoes. 4. 6-keys: media/spln/nascar/reg/free/stories, at landon cassill (@landoncassill) January 18, 2023. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Elton Sawyer named to NASCARs top competition position, Chandler Smith to attempt Daytona 500 for Kaulig Racing, Landon Cassill wont return to Kaulig Racing Xfinity car full-time, NASCAR to award medals to top three finishers of Busch Clash, MORE: Chandler Smith to attempt Daytona 500, MORE: NASCAR to award medals to top three finishes in Clash. Or, could it have something to do with his most famous sponsor, Hooters? When you have championship seasons that saw him win seven, 10 and 13 races in a matter of three years, haters will be there. He was the first NASCAR champion to win back-to-back-to-back championships from 1976-1978. But, in a way, his legacy lives on. Then, during the first Chase for the Cup, Busch made a believer out of everyone that he was champion material. We still see fans wear the No. As a kid, you always have the goal of one day racing in the Cup Series. A trusted voice in the garage, Scott used his decades of experience to lead our competition team to new heights during a time that saw a new race format, a new playoff format and a new race car. He finished second in the points three other years. In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, NASCAR gathered a panel to select the "50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time." It was inspired in part by the NBA's decision to select the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History on its 50th anniversary in 1996. Among his 83 career wins were four Daytona 500s and five Southern 500s. The 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott holds the record for Most Popular Driver Award wins with 16 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002. Saving his equipment and running to the front with 75 laps to go, Roberts ran away with the victory. In a Wednesday morning tweet, Cassill said he plans to continue racing. Four heat races, two last-chance qualifying races and the feature will take place Feb. 5. That smile, the joy and the happiness grew on the fans and will only continue as the years progress. Whether at the wheel or at the mic, Jarrett is as popular now as in his driving days. At that point, fans began to hate Busch as he would go on to win the following week at Bristol. Besides that, Elliott is a perennial winner of the NASCAR Most Popular Driver award, winning it four times and will likely collect his fifth at the end of the 2022 season. 29 and he qualified fifth and won the race. That win would be Craven's last and would be the final one for Pontiac. He won 26 times between 1961 and 1967 and never ran a full schedule (although . His ability to run fast and maintain control on the unique track got him four wins in the late 50s and early 60s. 29, and Harvick was at the wheel. Voting for the Most Popular Driver Award presented by Hooters opened on November 8. RETWEET to congratulate @ChaseElliott on his second! Davey Allison Truly his fathers son (Bobby won the championship in 1983), Davey checked every box that might be listed under champion in the early years of his career. He won the season . Also on. In other weeks, however, Chastain had far fewer supporters. It's not the money that Sprint, Nationwide or Camping World puts out to be the champion. Also on Thursday, Trackhouse Racing founder. Any driver that earns the respect of the Intimidator is certainly popular among everyone in the garage. He heads into his final year tied for ninth on NASCAR's all-time wins list with 60 career victories and 13 consecutive playoff appearances. Bill Elliott certainly did many firsts in his career.
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