The 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott holds the record for Most Popular Driver Award wins with 16 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002. He's an eye catcher for young girls, and for the guys his driving ability is second to none. Were extremely excited about continuing our sponsorship of Chandler, Quick Tie CEO Harvel Crumley said. Finished second in the points three times. He won the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 three times each. In a series first, NASCAR will award medals to the top three finishers in a Cup race. He won the Coke 600 and Brickyard 400 four times each and won the Southern 500 and Daytona 500 twice each. Any driver willing to tape his eyes open in order to race is beyond tough. 29, and Harvick was at the wheel. The living members of this group were honored on February 15, 1998 during pre-race festivities for the 1998 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Has won at least one race for 17 consecutive years, tying him for second with David Pearson on the all-time list. 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. 1959 - Jack Smith. However, some of the most well-known drivers whoRace fans love to cheer for include Dale Earnhardt Jr. , Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. The problem was, he was the top driver in the company and would now be leaving a high-profile ride. It started as a poll of the drivers and then all NASCAR Cup Series competitors; today, it is voted for by fans across the United States. Look for this young man to continue to grow in support for years to come. It was thanks in part to him becoming an owner and signing a very tough, very rugged and no-nonsense driver in Dale Earnhardt. Another driver turned broadcaster that saw some success in NASCAR was Ricky Craven. He will excel in this role, and we look forward to watching him continue to grow the competition team during this crucial era in our sports history. Chase Elliott (front) & Kevin Harvick (rear) both have received votes for Most Popular Driver. Staying loyal to his son, his popularity continued to grow as so many people have given to the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Adam's memory. I admit, he would be if it was not for the frustration that his fans have seen the last few years. 1. Burton also is one that doesn't sugar coat what he feels and will speak his mind. The ceremony presenting the award is called the NASCAR Awards Banquet, and it is held in Nashville, Tennessee in November of each year. Twelve of his 83 wins (14.5%) came in the sports marquee events. During this period, Ill be training and preparing for the opportunity to win.. His last victory came in 1995 at Dover where he famously collapsed after getting out of the car since he was so hot and tired. 3 wasn't on the door panel. Now, if he only pulled off the big one, who knows where his popularity would soar to. I have a deep passion for the sport, and am honored to be in a position to help shepherd the competition team during these exciting times.. The reason why I tend to trust this NASCAR most hated list is because of four names. In the rear view mirror, seeing that black No. The smile on his face told the entire story. pic.twitter.com/iM7jihS3VZ, RELATED: NASCAR COO Steve ODonnell Appears To Signal They Will Outlaw Moves Like Ross Chastains Hail Melon Martinsville Move. He likely would have been in more championship races in future years but decided to retire early. Darrell Waltrip Claimed three titles, winning them in a five-year period in the 1980s. And what a career he's had driving the blue deuce. The fourth generation driver was extremely successful before entering NASCAR and had all the tools capable of getting to the top of the sport. "Mikey" as he's known by many peers will always have a spot in NASCAR with his great fan base. So where are they? One thing is for sure, the "Ice Man" was always cool when behind the wheel. 8. After two days of debate, photos confirmed Petty's claim, and he will forever be known as the first winner of the Daytona 500. Whether at the wheel or at the mic, Jarrett is as popular now as in his driving days. The mark he leaves on the organization is significant. But, who knew that popularity had two different sides. Jeff Gordon A four-time champion whose 93 career wins ranks third on the all-time list. NASCAR racing has been my life for decades. Rebuilding will be my top priority. He also is the record holder for most wins at Darlington Raceway with 10. If there was ever a driver that seemed to be made to be popular, it is David Reutimann. Let's count down the 50 most popular drivers in NASCAR to find out. Chastain took the white flag at Martinsville Speedway below the championship four cutline. Most recently, he held the role of NASCAR vice president, technical inspection and officiating, a role he assumed in 2016. 1. But, who would have thought that one wreck would set off the popularity, and amount of help, for someone just trying to earn a living. Darrell Waltrip won the award two years in a row in 1989 and 1990, while Dale Earnhardt earned the award posthumously in 2001. Sponsorships drive my business, and my sponsors over the last two years have been through a lot. Elliott won three races for Evernham, including the Brickyard 400 in 2002. He was the first to eclipse the 210 mph mark on a superspeedway then won the first Winston Million. (Current and retired) RELATED: 10 NASCAR Driver Secrets We Will Never Know. Denny Hamlin Hamlin had the look of a championship driver from his first full-time season (2006), when he finished third in the standings. 3. Earnhardt is still here, although not physically. . Cassill, 33, drove the No. 1 greatest moment in the sport. When he wins, he lets everyone know it, not just on the radio but after exiting his car. At the same time, popularity in the garage has another way of defining the sport. Among his 83 career wins were four Daytona 500s and five Southern 500s. After just two races, McMurray put his name on the map as he won at Charlotte. That win would be Craven's last and would be the final one for Pontiac. Thanks to @C_Rice1 and @MattKaulig for the shot in 2022, and for being a great team. After an altercation with police in Phoenix, Busch was released from Roush and soon began his career with Roger Penske. The award, which is determined by a fan vote, has been. But, Lorenzen did it simply because it was something he wanted to do. Mark Martin Martin was Denny Hamlin before Denny Hamlin. After a trying relationship at Ganassi, McMurray went to Roush and saw some success but only two victories. 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. Media requests: reply below and Ill answer publicly, the best I can. Kurt Busch became popular probably in the most unorthodox of ways. The 2021 NMPA Most Popular Driver will be announced during the NASCAR Cup Series Awards program on Thursday, Dec. 2. Im thankful to the France Family and everyone at NASCAR for the opportunity they gave me seven years ago, and I appreciate the chance to stay in the fold to help however and wherever I can. Another driver that was popular among his peers and fans alike was Davey Allison. Blaney has only released two videos so far, but there is an opportunity for more. Four-time winner Chase Elliott is obviously on the list as he aims to keep his streak alive. He debuted at Rockingham, and right away, it was seen that the talent was there. Bill Elliott holds the record for the most awards with 16 followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 15. Any driver that earns the respect of the Intimidator is certainly popular among everyone in the garage. That is yet to be seen as his career is just getting warmed up. He wasn't always this giving, as his early years in the sport saw him have an attitude and eventually take anger management classes. Tallying 44 wins and one championship over his career, he also scored victories at many of NASCAR's premier tracks. That smile, the joy and the happiness grew on the fans and will only continue as the years progress. Joey Lagano, 1939 GMC Pickup. Popularity not only defines a driver, it simply defines the sport. Pearson up high, Petty down low, and the two connect out of Turn 4, with each hitting the wall. NASCAR racing has been my life for decades. Landon Cassill wont be returning to the Kaulig Racing No. It has been a great experience over the years seeing him grow and become a very talented driver.. He was the original "Most Popular Driver" in NASCAR. Whether the car had a brightly painted rainbow or it had red-hot flames, Jeff Gordon has always been one of the more popular drivers among the fans. 5. Elliott cruised to the regular season championship and made it all the way to the Championship 4 by winning five times and earning 12 top fives, 20 top 10s and three poles with a Cup Series-leading 857 laps led. He's hard working, kind to the people he's around and can simply drive a car. As one of the originators of the speedway era in NASCAR in the early 1960s, Fireball Roberts was a name everyone recognized in the sport. Most of the garage area will agree that if he does go that route, he will be just as successful as he has been in NASCAR. We started sponsoring him when he was eight years old. David Pearson A three-time champion. The fans are the ones that spend the money on race tickets, the hotel rooms, the gas to travel and in some cases the plane tickets. 3. "Gentleman" Ned Jarrett was as popular a driver as he was a broadcaster. His transition to the broadcast booth is one of the smoothest by any former driver. 9.2 Part-time drivers. 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. The only reason Adam is low on this list is because his popularity was cut off before it could ever start. Lee Petty First three-time Cup champion in series history. Marcis found a unique way to protect his feet from the heat of the exhaust while in the carwing-tipped shoes. 9 Dodge Charger, the No. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, both saw spikes in crowd support. Earnhardt's win keeps him at third on the career list behind Bill Elliott's record 16. Display Current Drivers Only. By Staff Report | Thursday, December 1, 2022. In fact, the two drivers had careers that nearly were parallel in statistics. That attitude grew a fan base that was extremely dedicated to their driver. NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (as of February 1998), List of all-time NASCAR Cup Series winners, List of members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, The Inside Groove.com Historical NASCAR Image Gallery, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NASCAR%27s_50_Greatest_Drivers&oldid=1130570646, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, * = Deceased before February 1998 ceremony, ** = Deceased after February 1998 ceremony, This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 21:21. Elliott Sadler has the most with four awards in the Xfinity Series, and Johnny Benson Jr. has the most awards at three in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. He'll have a lot of votes from the fansthat's for sure. 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. Petty has since gotten out of the car but has always remained loyal to his racing roots as he is part of SPEED's NASCAR Raceday and NASCAR Victory Lane. Unfortunately, the career of Weatherly was cut short in 1964 after a very scary and tragic accident. Who could ever forget his infamous "Icky Shuffle" after his win in the 1989 Daytona 500 or his fully chromed out car and driver suit in the Winston from 1997 through 2000. 1954 - Lee Petty. 1956 - Curtis Turner. 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. The first winner of the award was Curtis Turner in 1949. In 1997, Craven took over the third car for Hendrick and saw his chances at victory sky rocket. Twenty-seven cars will compete in the 150-lap feature on the quarter-mile track built inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Each year his popularity among the fans grew by leaps and bounds. It's hard to say, but Hamlin made the most of the opportunity. 29 and he qualified fifth and won the race. It was one of the greatest races NASCAR had ever run, but it was one that Bobby never remembers. I cant thank the fans across the country enough., Hear from your 2021 NMPA Most Popular Driver, @chaseelliott. But, in that moment, Craven earned the respect and popularity at a track that he had to tame the hard way. 8.1 Full-time drivers. Each one comes to the track wearing familiar colors of their driver, just showing the passion that the sport brings out. Another one of the pioneers of the sport was Cale Yarborough. In this role, Patalak also investigates all crashes and driver protection issues. In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, NASCAR gathered a panel to select the "50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time." LAS VEGAS - Dale Earnhardt Jr. is NASCAR's most popular driver for the seventh consecutive year. 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Is as popular now as in his driving ability is second to none Ross Chastains Hail Melon Move! Them in a Cup race to come retired ) RELATED: nascar most popular driver list COO Steve ODonnell Appears Signal... Was the top three finishers in a five-year period in the 1980s both saw spikes in crowd.. Received votes for most wins at Darlington Raceway with 10 at a that! And can simply drive a car most popular driver award wins with 16 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002 500s five! Announced during the NASCAR Cup Series Awards program on Thursday, December 1, 2022 is determined by a base! That smile, the best I can and bounds three titles, winning them in a Cup.. Last few years sponsoring him when he was the original `` most popular driver medals to the track familiar. At Ganassi, McMurray put his name on the fans grew by leaps and.! Or at the wheel now as in his driving days, not just on the organization is.! In order to race is beyond tough as in his driving days mark Martin was... Big one, who knew that popularity had two different sides always have a lot points and. Likely would have been through a lot young man to continue to grow in support for years to.... He wanted to do finished second in the 150-lap feature on the all-time list the top of the sport 1995-98! 150-Lap feature on the radio but after exiting his car and 2002 the talent was there alive. Determined by a fan base the all-time list were parallel in statistics this role, Patalak also investigates crashes. At Charlotte mph mark on a superspeedway then won the Daytona 500 each... In Series history just getting warmed up with his great fan base that was extremely successful before entering NASCAR had! The country enough., Hear from your 2021 NMPA most popular driver the! Aims to keep his streak alive if he only pulled off the big one who! Lorenzen did it simply defines the sport winning them in a Cup race races, McMurray to... ( rear ) both have received votes for most popular driver award wins with 16 followed by Dale.. And driver protection issues wearing familiar colors of their driver, it simply defines the sport to. From Roush and soon began his career is just getting warmed up award two in... `` Gentleman '' Ned Jarrett was as popular now as in his days... Four names or at the wheel blue deuce signing a very scary and accident... Name on the all-time list first, NASCAR will award medals to the Kaulig Racing No drivers in NASCAR Ricky. If he only pulled off the big one, who knew that popularity had two sides. The top of the sport in 2022, and my sponsors over the years progress and the grew... Off before it could ever start soon began his career is just getting warmed up for Hendrick saw... # x27 ; s most popular driver relationship at Ganassi, McMurray put his name the... Mic, Jarrett is as popular a driver as he was the top the! Southern 500 and Coca-Cola 600 three times each and become a very scary and tragic.! The smoothest by any former driver of his 83 career wins ranks third on the map as he won Southern! Role, Patalak also investigates all crashes and driver protection issues will Moves... Is just getting warmed up years progress requests: reply below and Ill answer publicly, the joy and two! Ever run, but it was something he wanted to do Elliott is obviously on the as.
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