nascar most popular driver list

We have a strong team at NASCAR, and Im excited to remain a part of it.. NASCAR Wednesday named former driver and long-time official Elton Sawyer its senior vice president of competition, replacing Scott Miller, who will assume the newly formed role of competition strategist. But, in a way, his legacy lives on. First, the current top 10, alphabetically, as voted by fans at Nascar.com/mostpopulardriver/ Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick,. X Most Recent @nascarcasm At-Track Driver Wins eNascar Fantasy Fastlane Garage 56 Lineup Gallery Memorable Moments Most Popular Driver NASCAR 75 NASCAR Competition NASCAR Roots Paint Scheme . Petty is the first driver to achieve the seven NASCAR Cup championships, making him an undisputed champion in the NASCAR world. NASCAR and the National Motorsports Press Association revealed the current top 10 most popular drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. 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. That is yet to be seen as his career is just getting warmed up. Lavar Scott, Andrs Prez de Lara, Jaiden Reyna and Justin Campbell are returning to Rev Racing, which operates the diversity program. He has 25 wins behind the wheel of the truck and is a two-time champion in the series, winning his second title this season. 11 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series - EuroNASCAR 2 Division drivers. 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. The interesting thing about Lorenzen was that he never ran a full schedule. The reason why I tend to trust this NASCAR most hated list is because of four names. Im hoping that comes true in this years Daytona 500.. Missed one race due to the death of his father. That race has been nicknamed "Won From Above" simply because of how all the numbers lined up. The 2021 NMPA Most Popular Driver will be announced during the NASCAR Cup Series Awards program on Thursday, Dec. 2. A win in the Daytona 500, then at Indianapolis and again at Charlotte was by far the best season of his entire career. The driver of the No. At that point, fans began to hate Busch as he would go on to win the following week at Bristol. 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. 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. When everyone sees that No. 6. He only ran more than 3/4 of the season five times. Eight drivers have been named to this year's NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. He won 26 times between 1961 and 1967 and never ran a full schedule (although . Bodine has a lot of layers as he's competed in all three top NASCAR touring series, but his best success has come in the Camping World Truck Series. ISC Archives via Getty Images. Voting for the Most Popular Driver continues until 12:00 PM ET on November 30, 2022. Kaulig Racing announced Wednesday that Chandler Smith will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in a third Kaulig car but has not announced plans for the 10 Xfinity car. They certainly seemed to work for him for a long time. NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM will provide coverage of this year's program. Joey Logano is the best NASCAR driver right now. His name was defined by a small budget trying to make it big. He was once known as NASCAR's "Iron Man," but Ricky Rudd's popularity could be defined by his longevity and toughness. Unfortunately for him, he's upset some fan bases and landed himself back on the most hated active NASCAR drivers. Well, chances are that it could be all of them because Kulwicki was one of the most popular guys in the garage because he was one of the few drivers in the early days to work on the cars himself. His 50 career wins are not his biggest credit but more of what he discovered in NASCAR that still continues today. Much like his father, Davey was a great driver and knew his way around the race car. 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. He held the series record for victories until son Richard topped his mark. He won 37 of his 76 career victories during that time period. He likely would have been in more championship races in future years but decided to retire early. @chaseelliott wins the 2022 NMPA Most Popular Driver Award presented by @Hooters! Carl Edwards Edwards was solidly consistent throughout a career that produced 28 victories and earned him a shot at the title in 2011, when he tied Tony Stewart but lost the championship on a tiebreaker. 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. 1. Although he won 50 races as a driver and later six championships as a team owner, there would be no driving title for Johnson. It has earned him a spot in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in the second class of inductees. After a trying relationship at Ganassi, McMurray went to Roush and saw some success but only two victories. Tallying 44 wins and one championship over his career, he also scored victories at many of NASCAR's premier tracks. It was thanks in part to him becoming an owner and signing a very tough, very rugged and no-nonsense driver in Dale Earnhardt. Johnson's popularity in NASCAR was all about his ability as a team owner in the 1970s and 1980s. It was almost as though the driver was a human jack-in-the-box. Most Popular Driver Award Winners. The only reason Adam is low on this list is because his popularity was cut off before it could ever start. He's an eye catcher for young girls, and for the guys his driving ability is second to none. Stewart has proven to be a winning driver, car owner, track owner and a generous human being with his numerous donations to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. 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. Smith finished third in the Craftsman Truck Series standings last year, recording three wins, nine top fives and 16 top 10s. 9.2 Part-time drivers. It's quite different to see the driver of the No. Here, we've compiled a list of the 30 very best NASCAR drivers to ever compete in the sport's history. 4-29-51 equals No. It will come, but the question is when. NEXT: NASCAR Executive Explains New Manufacturers Arent Joining The Sport Due To Emphasis On Electric, Hybrid, And Hydrogen Vehicles, Cole Custer, Chase Elliott, and Erik Jones at The Busch Light Class at The Coliseum via NASCAR YouTube. There is no one that defines toughness as much as Rudd. 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. An independent group of 51 individuals representing various NASCAR roles were asked to give their objective and educated opinions on who the 50 greatest drivers in NASCAR history were. You can vote for the Most Popular Driver here. With his fourth consecutive title in 2009, and now his fifth consecutive title this year, more fans are beginning to appreciate what Johnson has done. 1. Four-time winner Chase Elliott is obviously on the list as he aims to keep his streak alive. The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion turned in one of his finest seasons in 2022, becoming one of the dominant drivers of a season that otherwise featured a historic level of parity. Bill Elliott certainly did many firsts in his career. But, his popularity among the ladies is rather obvious. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Oympics. Let's count down the 50 most popular drivers in NASCAR to find out. Don't forget to vote!: https://t.co/jUZfQDZWSa pic.twitter.com/D1v14X8TYG. In 1998, his lone victory showcased Rudd's refusal to yield. Chase Elliott (front) & Kevin Harvick (rear) both have received votes for Most Popular Driver. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, both saw spikes in crowd support. In fact, it causes a lot of arguments. The fans, young and old, have made NASCAR what it is today. The 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott holds the record for Most Popular Driver Award wins with 16 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002. That will never happen again, guaranteed. The winner of the most awards is Bill Elliott with 16 in the NASCAR Cup Series. Mark Martin is without question the most popular, most respected and overall most liked driver in the garage. 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." Voting closes for the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award on Wednesday, Dec. 1, at noon ET. This 1939 GMC . With NASCAR in its two-week break, the NBC Sports NASCAR Power Rankings puts together its top 10 list of drivers in the sports history. Cassill, 33, drove the No. 10/10 10. Dale Jr fans There hasn't be an overbearing amount of crowd support for Dale Earnhardt Jr in his final NASCAR season. Other multiple award winners include Lee Petty with three and Fred Lorenzen and Curtis Turner with two. Jimmie Johnson 4. His win at Daytona in 2001 was the win that healed a NASCAR nation. He won the season . Winning the title was noteworthy prior to the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. joining NASCAR as its primary sponsor, but the stacks of money provided by the Winston cigarette brand increased the importance of the championship exponentially. Probably one of the more unique celebrations NASCAR has seen, but it sure is cool for the fans after he wins. Each one comes to the track wearing familiar colors of their driver, just showing the passion that the sport brings out. 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. Dale Earnhardt Jr., elected to the NMPA Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2020, won the award for 15 consecutive seasons from 2003-2017. Each year his popularity among the fans grew by leaps and bounds. 10 car to five top-five finishes, including a second place at Martinsville Speedway, last year. Elton Sawyer has shown incredible versatility throughout his four-plus decades in motorsports, said Steve ODonnell, NASCAR chief operating officer, in a statement released by NASCAR. When he wins, he lets everyone know it, not just on the radio but after exiting his car. Thought to go into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on the first class of inductees, Pearson was surprisingly left out. Kurt Busch became popular probably in the most unorthodox of ways. Let's count down the 50 most popular drivers in NASCAR to find out. Rudd would win the race, pull into victory lane and have to be pulled from the car in order to get some fresh air. That smile, the joy and the happiness grew on the fans and will only continue as the years progress. 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. Mark Martin 9. But, in that moment, Craven earned the respect and popularity at a track that he had to tame the hard way. Could it be his unique way of celebrating a victory, his "Polish Victory Lap?" Despite the treatment working, later that year he was readmitted to the hospital because of complications. A year earlier, Bobby was involved in a horrific crash at Talladega that saw his car destroyed and part of the safety fencing torn down on the front straightaway, which eventually led to the restrictor plates used at Daytona and Talladega. Jeff Gordon 3. He's not just racing for him and his wife, he's racing for his family. He finished first or second in the points 10 times in his career. His legacy is set and is still growing with every season. 2/2 During this period, Ill be training and preparing for the opportunity to win. With a car that was 22 mph slower than the competitors, he used the draft to find his way to the front and eventually win a race. That's five consecutive years Elliott has earned the honor. 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. Politics aren't exactly something people talk about in happiness. The venue hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1932 and 1984 Olympics. NASCAR on TV; Drivers; By statistics, not only is Richard Petty the most accomplished, he is the greatest NASCAR driver in history. Chase Briscoe, #14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Matt DiBenedetto, #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Erik Jones, #43 Richard Petty. Simply put, Tim Richmond was the first "rock star" of NASCAR. 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. Honoring them in this way, at the beginning of the NASCAR 50th Anniversary celebration, is one way of showing our true appreciation for them and the invaluable contribution they have given over the past 50 years. 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. Bodine's popularity in NASCAR now has him working in the Research and Development Center, focusing solely on safety. You can sound the si-reen again! The older of the Labonte brothers, Terry has enjoyed a guaranteed Hall of Fame career in NASCAR. I admit, he would be if it was not for the frustration that his fans have seen the last few years. He has been credited as being one of the biggest in the safety movement following Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001. Popularity among drivers doesn't limit one to just being behind the wheel. Between 2000 and 2002, Busch had an intense rivalry with Jimmy Spencer that saw the two have numerous run-ins on the track. View . 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. 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. Jacuzzi, who manages aerodynamic engineering for NASCAR, joined the sanctioning body after working as a computational aerodynamicist for Corvid Technologies. He wasn't very outspoken, but he spoke out when needed. Petty was also credited with starting the longest-running team in the sport, Petty Enterprises. Jeff Gordon A four-time champion whose 93 career wins ranks third on the all-time list. Probst joined NASCAR in 2016, providing senior oversight of an engineering group that develops and incorporates new technology into all aspects of NASCAR competition. Millers focus will center on a several big picture special projects such as the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway and the Chicago Street Course race, as well as long-lead planning around NASCAR competition strategy. Joey Lagano, 1939 GMC Pickup. The award is presented by the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA). Another one of the pioneers of the sport was Cale Yarborough. The fans have grown to appreciate this young talent, and have also been introduced to a new way of celebrating a win. Denny Hamlin Hamlin had the look of a championship driver from his first full-time season (2006), when he finished third in the standings. His run-in with Jeff Gordon in 2006 at Bristol was a hot topic, but it showed that Kenseth was not one to take lightly. Do you REALLY know @chaseelliott? Blaney has started releasing some short videos that would fit perfectly in any political campaign. The Hail Melon went on to generate millions of views while helping bring more attention to the sport. Johnson is without question the champ these days in NASCAR. Sawyer began his racing career competing at Langley Speedway in his home state of Virginia. When he died in 2001, NASCAR itself lost something. From that point on, it was hard to argue that Childress would be popular in NASCAR. Logano, 32, won the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series championship and finished the season with four wins, 11 top-5 finishes, and 17 top-20 finishes. Millers focus will center on a several big picture special projects such as the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway and the Chicago Street Course race, as well as long-lead planning around NASCAR competition strategy. 1956 - Curtis Turner. But, Lorenzen did it simply because it was something he wanted to do. During this period, Ill be training and preparing for the opportunity to win.. 1954 - Lee Petty. At the end of 2017, you can be certain it will be 15. The 1979 Daytona 500 put not only him, but NASCAR on the map. Fast, fearless and controversial, he died of AIDS in 1989, two years after his final race. As long as the fans buy the products, his popularity is secure. Danica Patrick 10. Forty Cup victories and a reputation as a racers racer gave him clear entry into the Hall of Fame. However, as the years progressed, Waltrip continued to win, as his four Cup victories came on restrictor plate tracks. Marcis found a unique way to protect his feet from the heat of the exhaust while in the carwing-tipped shoes. 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. 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