NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chase Elliott might have had a disappointing end to the NASCAR Cup Series season, but his fans continue to make their support loud and clear.
For the fifth straight year, Elliott has been named NMPA Most Popular Driver presented by Hooters, the only major NASCAR award determined solely by the vote of race fans. Elliott, who finished fourth in the championship standings, was announced as the winner during the NASCAR awards banquet celebrating the 2022 season.
Elliott’s father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, holds the record for the most award wins at 16. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the award 15 times.
With the younger Elliott adding to his streak, the Most Popular Driver award has been presented to either an Elliott or an Earnhardt for 32 consecutive years.
Alongside Elliott were his three Championship 4 rivals (Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, and Christopher Bell) among the top 10 vote-getters for this year’s award. Also in contention were Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson, and Martin Truex Jr.
The NMPA Most Popular Driver Award is one of the longest-running awards presented annually by the National Motorsports Press Association. It is the only major NASCAR award to be determined solely by a fan vote.