So, Chase Elliott just bagged his eighth consecutive National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Most Popular Driver award. Shocker, right? Not really. If you’ve spent five minutes in a grandstand from Talladega to Sonoma, you already knew this was coming. The guy basically has a permanent lease on the title.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild when you think about it. Since 2018, nobody else has even sniffed the trophy. We are currently living through a massive era of "Elliott dominance" that feels less like a competition and more like a foregone conclusion. But there is a lot more to the nascar most popular driver story than just one guy winning a lot. It’s about bloodlines, a very specific type of Southern loyalty, and a fan base that treats voting like a full-time job.
The Numbers Behind the Streak
Let's look at the facts. Chase Elliott won the 2025 award after a season where he finished eighth in the standings. He had two wins—notably taking the checkered flag at Kansas—and made a solid run to the Round of 8. But here’s the thing: he could have finished dead last every week and probably still won. Why? Because the nascar most popular driver award isn't a performance review. It's a census.
The 29-year-old from Dawsonville, Georgia, is now one of only five drivers to win the Cup-level award five or more times. He’s in a room with Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and his own father, Bill Elliott. That is a heavy-duty list.
- Bill Elliott: 16 wins (The All-Time Record)
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 15 wins (Consecutive streak)
- Richard Petty: 9 wins
- Chase Elliott: 8 wins (and counting)
Chase is officially halfway to catching his dad. Bill, or "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville," was so popular he actually asked to be taken off the ballot in 2002 because he felt bad for everyone else. Think about that. He was so well-loved he had to quit the contest to give other people a chance. Chase hasn't reached that "please stop voting for me" stage yet, but give it time.
It’s a Family Business
You can't talk about the nascar most popular driver without talking about the "Dawsonville Pool Room." When an Elliott wins, they fire off a siren at this little restaurant in Georgia. It’s legendary.
Fans aren't just voting for Chase; they are voting for a legacy that started in the 1970s. When Bill Elliott was setting qualifying records of 212 mph at Talladega, he was doing it as an underdog from a small town. People latched onto that. Fast forward to today, and those same fans—and their kids, and their grandkids—are the ones hitting the refresh button on the NASCAR voting page.
It’s a hand-me-down loyalty.
Interestingly, for the last 36 years, the award has been won by either an Earnhardt or an Elliott. Every single year since 1991, with the exception of 2001 (when the late Dale Earnhardt won it posthumously), the trophy has lived in one of two houses. That is a staggering monopoly on fan affection.
Is It Just Name Recognition?
Some people get salty about it. You’ll see it on Reddit or X—fans of Kyle Larson or Ryan Blaney complaining that it’s just a "last name contest." And yeah, the name helps. Being the son of a Hall of Famer is a hell of a head start.
But Chase carries himself in a way that resonates. He’s reserved. He doesn't do "the most" on social media. In a world where everyone is shouting for attention, his "just here to race" vibe actually stands out. Plus, he’s a champion. He won the Cup Series title in 2020. That validated the popularity for a lot of people. It’s easier to vote for the popular guy when he’s also one of the best wheelmen on the grid.
In the 2025 voting, the top five (alphabetically) were Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, and Chase.
Denny Hamlin being in the top five is actually the most surprising part of that list. He’s spent the last few years leaning into the "villain" role, and apparently, people love to hate-vote or just flat-out respect the hustle. But even with Larson's insane talent or Blaney's "cool guy" factor, they just can't touch the Elliott mountain.
How the Voting Actually Works
The NMPA handles the logistics. It’s a straight-up fan vote conducted online. You can vote once a day. This is where the "commitment" factor comes in.
If you have 10,000 fans who vote once, you lose to 5,000 fans who vote every single day for a month. Chase Elliott fans are organized. They are disciplined. They treat the nascar most popular driver ballot like a high-stakes election.
Why This Matters for the Sport
NASCAR needs stars. It needs faces that people recognize at a grocery store in middle America. Chase is that face. When he missed races in 2023 due to a snowboarding injury, the TV ratings actually took a visible dip. The sport is healthier when the most popular driver is winning races and contending for titles.
But there’s a flip side. Some argue that the lack of variety in the award shows that NASCAR is struggling to build new, diverse fan bases. If the same family has won for three decades, are we reaching new people? Or are we just preaching to the same (albeit very passionate) choir?
Actually, 2025 showed some signs of change in the lower series. Rajah Caruth won the Most Popular Driver award in the Craftsman Truck Series. That’s a big deal. It’s his second time winning it, and it shows that the newer generation of fans is starting to move the needle in the support series. Justin Allgaier took it for the Xfinity Series (his sixth win), which makes sense because he's basically the mayor of that garage.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you are following the nascar most popular driver race, whether as a fan or a memorabilia collector, here is the reality of the situation:
- Investment Value: Chase Elliott "Most Popular Driver" gear isn't rare, but his race-win diecasts from the seasons he wins the award tend to hold a steady premium. Fans love a "complete" season set.
- The Voting Window: Voting usually opens in late September or early October. If you want to see someone else win, you can't just vote once. You have to be consistent.
- Watch the Transfers: Keep an eye on the Xfinity Series. Drivers like Rajah Caruth are building the kind of grassroots popularity that eventually challenges for the Cup Series award once they move up.
- The "Bill" Record: Chase is 8 wins away from tying his father. He’s 29 years old. If he stays healthy and stays in the No. 9 car, he will almost certainly break the record. We are watching history, even if it feels a bit repetitive.
The nascar most popular driver award isn't just a trophy. It’s a pulse check on the soul of the sport. Right now, that pulse is beating loudest in Dawsonville. Whether you love the No. 9 or you're tired of seeing him on stage, you have to respect the sheer power of a fan base that refuses to let anyone else take the crown.
If you want to see if anyone can actually dethrone the king of popularity, your best bet is to start tracking the social engagement of guys like Ryan Blaney or the rising stars in the Truck series. Popularity in NASCAR is a long game. It's built over decades, not weeks. Chase has the lead, but the road to 16 wins is still a long one.