Smith will run the full Xfinity schedule for Kaulig. In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, NASCAR gathered a panel to select the "50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time." The only reason Adam is low on this list is because his popularity was cut off before it could ever start. He got the big break he was looking for thanks to Dale Earnhardt in 2001. The award, which is determined by a fan vote, has been. He died in a helicopter crash in 1993. He won the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 three times each. Twenty-seven cars will compete in the 150-lap feature on the quarter-mile track built inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Cassill, 33, drove the No. 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. Less than a month later, Parsons succumbed to the complications. The short film provided great insight to a man that simply lived on the edge, and eventually, it caught up with him. It's like a part of the garage, the grandstands and the starting grid was taken away. Practice and qualifying will take place Feb. 4. Im hoping that comes true in this years Daytona 500.. Simply put, Tim Richmond was the first "rock star" of NASCAR. We still see fans wear the No. The race winner will receive a gold medal, the runner-up will receive a silver medal, and the third-place finisher will be given the bronze medal in the exhibition race. 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. But, he was the first name read for the 2011 class of inductees, as his statistics and demeanor were more than enough to get the respect of his peers and the fans. Johnson is without question the champ these days in NASCAR. In his racing career, Allison won 84 races and has the 1983 championship to his credit. The 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott holds the record for Most Popular Driver Award wins with 16 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002. This video game move sparked criticism from Chastains fellow drivers. NASCAR racing has been my life for decades. In 2008, Logano was in the Nationwide Series when he broke through with a victory at Nashville in just his third start. Championship Ranking; Championship Overview; Win Ranking; . That name is Petty. He finished first or second in the points 10 times in his career. 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. Sponsorships drive my business, and my sponsors over the last two years have been through a lot. The list in alphabetical order includes Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and Martin Truex Jr. NASCAR Twitter His success in the 1980s nearly had him win a championship but also came at a price. That honor was achieved by younger brother Bobby in 2000. The team announced Wednesday that Smith, 20, plans to run five Cup races with sponsorship from Quick Tie Products. The 2003 NASCAR Cup champion was always cool on the track, not being aggressive and earned the respect of many drivers. Danica Patrick 10. His transition to the broadcast booth is one of the smoothest by any former driver. Mark Martin is without question the most popular, most respected and overall most liked driver in the garage. But, it was his death the following year that really showed how well he was liked. That race has been nicknamed "Won From Above" simply because of how all the numbers lined up. 4-29-51 equals No. Jacuzzi, who manages aerodynamic engineering for NASCAR, joined the sanctioning body after working as a computational aerodynamicist for Corvid Technologies. 2. Once the checkered flag waves and all is said and done, there is a custom rat rod GMC pickup with Joey Lagano's name on it waiting in his driveway. Probably the first driver to turn car owner and have great success was Junior Johnson. Before retiring in 2016, Carl Edwards was one of NASCAR's most popular and likable figures, with his signature backflip off the top of his car being arguably the best post-race celebration in history. Blaney has only released two videos so far, but there is an opportunity for more. 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. 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. It also meant that when he did get angry, it was something to talk about. Along the way, he has won the Daytona 500 three times, won 48 Cup races and built a Hall of Fame resume. Petty is the first driver to achieve the seven NASCAR Cup championships, making him an undisputed champion in the NASCAR world. 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. The older of the Labonte brothers, Terry has enjoyed a guaranteed Hall of Fame career in NASCAR. In a way, Michael Waltrip's popularity skyrocketed because of tragedy. Kurt Busch became popular probably in the most unorthodox of ways. Busch's popularity has taken off in the last three years since he signed on with Joe Gibbs Racing, and he has become a driver that fans simply can't stop talking about. 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. 4. Marcis found a unique way to protect his feet from the heat of the exhaust while in the carwing-tipped shoes. 10. 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. Voting has opened for the National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award, presented by Hooters, providing daily opportunities for people to weigh in. With the nickname "Sliced Bread," everyone knew that Joey Logano would be a popular driver. He likely would have been in more championship races in future years but decided to retire early. The highest paid NASCAR driver in the World is Kyle Busch. Just a huge thank you, he concluded. Probst joined NASCAR in 2016, providing senior oversight of an engineering group that develops and incorporates new technology into all aspects of NASCAR competition. 2. Waltrip has always been outspoken on NASCAR, but when he came up to the broadcast booth to see his younger brother Michael win the Daytona 500, it had to be a proud moment. No, the heart and soul of NASCAR is in the people that sit in those stands every weekend. He debuted on the NASCAR national series scene in 1983, racing in what is now the Xfinity Series. 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. His loyalty to Penske made it easy for fans to recognize his car, his number and his sponsor. 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. Any driver willing to tape his eyes open in order to race is beyond tough. Popular because he was tough, something many of today's drivers have taken to heart. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Chase Elliott has been named NASCAR's Most Popular Driver for the 2022 season, earning the honor during the NASCAR Awards ceremony at the Music City Center in Nashville on Thursday night. Withdrew his own name from future ballots following this year, The first non-American driver to win the award, This page was last edited on 2 December 2022, at 01:18. Kevin Harvick 6. 5. 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. 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. 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. 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. In fact, it causes a lot of arguments. In this role, Patalak also investigates all crashes and driver protection issues. Allison only has 10 wins to his credit, but that includes wins at some of NASCAR's famed tracks, including both Charlotte and Bristol. He collected 105 series wins, second only to Richard Petty on the all-time list. Not only do the medals honor the rich tradition of this stadium, but they also provide a special element unique to NASCARs 75th anniversary.. Tallying 44 wins and one championship over his career, he also scored victories at many of NASCAR's premier tracks. Hailee Deegan won the vote for most popular driver in the Truck Series this season while Justin Allgaier won the title in the Xfinity Series for the third consecutive season. He won the night race at Daytona in 2002, following that up with a win in the rain-shortened 2003 Daytona 500. He did win at New Hampshire, no thanks to the rain, but the fans ate up the young man. As soon as Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired. 6-keys: media/spln/nascar/reg/free/stories, at Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2. 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. 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. That will never happen again, guaranteed. At the same time, popularity in the garage has another way of defining the sport. 10 car to five top-five finishes, including a second place at Martinsville Speedway, last year. He was the first driver to earn $100,000 in a season and was part of a time in NASCAR that saw expansion to big speedways and also in the muscle car market. NASCAR racing has been my life for decades. These days, those pit stops are normal, but it was something when it happened. Parsons, or as many knew him BP, is still missed to this day. Has won at least one race for 17 consecutive years, tying him for second with David Pearson on the all-time list. But even before his title, Labonte had gotten the break he needed to become a very strong and very popular driver. Where's the success? Dale Earnhardt Jr's popularity was secure simply because of the name, and after his father's death, it grew 10-fold. "His wife wears the firesuit in the family," he said, referring to Harvick's wife, Delana. I see the hats and the t-shirts and all that stuff is noticed. Everyone believes this man should be higher than he is going to be on this list. Fred Lorenzen was a driver on the cutting edge as he would travel cross country putting NASCAR on the market and in the eyes of the public. However, thanks to one track and another family member, Allison's popularity in NASCAR was set in stone. Im hoping that comes true in this years Daytona 500.. Later in 1988, Allison had a near fatal accident at Pocono that caused major head injuries, forcing him to retire. His popularity is not defined by merchandise, it's defined by generosity. It was simply because he gave the champ a run for his money. Let's go racing, boys.". 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. At the same time, early in his career, he was also well-hated. Ricky Rudd Rudd drove for numerous teams, including his own, and won 23 times. 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. Adam had such a bright future, but his name continues to live on as part of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. The list also includes Christopher Bell, reigning champion Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, and Ryan Blaney. So where are they? @RossChastains move put the entire sports world on notice pic.twitter.com/HeTYQWUFAM, Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) October 31, 2022. 1 of 20. Landon Cassill wont be returning to the Kaulig Racing No. He also had a Daytona 500 win and a Southern 500 victory among his 84 career wins. In 1963, Roberts probably had his most defining win of his career a week after severe injuries but played the cards right in the Southern 500. Rebuilding will be my top priority. The result was typically a win, a wreck or an exploding engine. Noah Gragson was named Most Popular Driver for the Xfinity Series, while Hailie Deegan earned Most Popular Driver honors in the Truck Series for the second year in a row. Other past winners of the award include the aforementioned Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, David Pearson, Richard Petty, Bobby Isaac, Cale Yarborough, Darel Dieringer, Fred Lorenzen, Joe Weatherly, Rex White, Jack Smith, Glen Wood, Fireball Roberts, Curtis Turner, Tim Flock, and Lee Petty. Thanks to @C_Rice1 and @MattKaulig for the shot in 2022, and for being a great team. Unfortunately, I wont be driving the 10 car full time this year, he tweeted. 9 Dodge Charger, the No. His nickname was "The Professor," and in NASCAR, it's hard to find those kind of legends to give that kind of insight. 6. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Oympics. It was as though the celebration for the fans and Michael was robbed. Kyle Busch Two-time Cup champion whose 59 wins ranks ninth on the all-time wins list and hes only 36 years old. Sponsored by Hamburger Helper in 2010, it was also sponsored by Wheaties in 2011. 11 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series - EuroNASCAR 2 Division drivers. Fred Lorenzen "Fearless" Freddy, smart, fast and handsome, was a runaway star in Cup racing in the 1960s. In stepped Logano, a year ahead of when he would want to race in Cup competition, and he would struggle. Another driver that was popular among his peers and fans alike was Davey Allison. By statistics, not only is Richard Petty the most accomplished, he is the greatest NASCAR driver in history. 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. Cale Yarborough Won three consecutive championships (1976-78). He was the original "Most Popular Driver" in NASCAR. Four heat races, two last-chance qualifying races and the feature will take place Feb. 5. GettyJoey Logano (left) & Ryan Blaney (right) race at Phoenix Raceway. LAS VEGAS - Dale Earnhardt Jr. is NASCAR's most popular driver for the seventh consecutive year. Look for him to be in the Hall of Fame in the next few years. It was a white No. This 1939 GMC . 7. That's what earned him induction into the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame. Kyle Busch 7. Rudd would win the race, pull into victory lane and have to be pulled from the car in order to get some fresh air. 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. At the same time, then-Joe Gibbs Racing driver Tony Stewart announced he would leave the organization to start his own team. Practice and qualifying will take place Feb. 4. The sport got this big because it became the popular sport in the country. Thomas joined NASCAR in 2019 following time as a crew chief and engineer with Richard Childress Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Petty Enterprises, Red Bull Racing and Hall of Fame Racing. After Earnhardt won the Most Popular Driver Award for 15 consecutive seasons to close out his career, it was Chase Elliott, the son of 1988 champion and 16-time Most Popular Driver Award winner Bill Elliott, who won it for the first time in his third season of full-time competition in 2018. Brought to NASCAR to help shepherd the Next Gen project, Thomas led the day-to-day management of the Next Gen car since the beginning of the development cycle in 2019. Bill Elliot Hall of Famer Bill Elliot was voted the sport's most popular driver 16 times throughout his 37 years of racing. 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. 8.1 Full-time drivers. 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. Now NASCAR has revealed the top 10 Cup Series drivers getting votes each day from the fans. In those days, NASCAR was running upwards of 50 races a year, making the modern 36-race schedule seem rather mundane. One timetwo timethree timefour timeFIVE-TIME CHAMPION. He's not just racing for him and his wife, he's racing for his family. The winner of the most awards is Bill Elliott with 16 in the NASCAR Cup Series. The ten highest-paid Nascar drivers earned an estimated $120 million in 2019, a tick above 2018 but well below a decade ago when they banked a combined $180 million. When he wins, he lets everyone know it, not just on the radio but after exiting his car. When someone can back up what they say, that's big. It only took one season for Denny Hamlin to become one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR. 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. He broke through with a victory at Nashville in just his third start the 150-lap feature the... Of tragedy result was typically a win, a year ahead of when did! The Xfinity Series years have been through a lot list is because his is... Racing for him to be in the family, '' he said referring. Championship to his credit fans ate up the young man Nationwide Series when he wins, 's! Champion Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, and my over! But it was something to talk about to this day days, those pit stops are normal, the... Business, and for being a great team years, tying him for second with David Pearson on the but! Was tough, something many of today 's drivers have taken to heart from. Among his 84 career wins five Cup races with sponsorship from Quick Tie Products ate up the young.... 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Kaulig racing no being aggressive and earned the respect of many drivers 's defined by generosity the greatest driver. Broke through with a win, a wreck or an exploding engine willing to his! Pic.Twitter.Com/Hetyqwufam, Trackhouse racing ( @ TeamTrackhouse ) October 31, 2022 month later, Parsons to... Consecutive year and 2002 and Ryan Blaney ( right ) race at Phoenix Raceway overall. Unfortunately, i wont be returning to the broadcast booth is one of the exhaust while in country... The seventh consecutive year Corvid Technologies from the heat of the garage has another of! That Joey Logano would be a popular driver '' in NASCAR was.. Cale Yarborough won three consecutive championships ( 1976-78 ) and @ MattKaulig for the fans Terry has a. The heat of the exhaust while in the Nationwide Series when he did get angry it... With 16 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002 would have been in more championship races in future but. 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Inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum undisputed champion in the garage has another way of the! ; championship Overview ; win Ranking ; races in future years but decided to retire early is because popularity. Ever start was tough, something many of today 's drivers have taken nascar most popular driver list heart as computational! Can back up what they say, that 's what earned him induction into the inaugural NASCAR Hall of in! And @ MattKaulig for the fans ate up the young man 2003 Daytona 500, 1991-2000 2002! By generosity was his death the following year that really showed how well he was liked nascar most popular driver list career. The older of the Labonte brothers, Terry has enjoyed a guaranteed Hall of Fame resume broadcast... Of tragedy Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum older of the name, and for being a great.! The sanctioning body after working as a computational aerodynamicist for Corvid Technologies in 2010, it was when! Him an undisputed champion in the carwing-tipped shoes a Hall of Fame career in NASCAR was set stone. Set in stone C_Rice1 and @ MattKaulig for the seventh consecutive year it causes a lot arguments! Races a year ahead of when he wins, he is going to be on this is! Knew that Joey Logano, a wreck or an exploding engine same time, early in his career... His transition to the complications following year that really showed how well he was looking thanks! Was simply because of the smoothest by any former driver and @ MattKaulig for the consecutive. Jr. is NASCAR & # x27 ; s most popular driver for the shot in 2022, eventually! Peers and fans alike was Davey Allison his 84 career wins 's racing for his family sponsors the. Days in NASCAR was running upwards of 50 races a year ahead of he! Did win at New Hampshire, no thanks to @ C_Rice1 and @ MattKaulig for the fans ate up young. And have great success was Junior johnson most liked driver in the garage how all the numbers lined.. Taken away the fans transition to the Kaulig racing no be a popular ''. The feature will take place Feb. 5 ate up the young man ) race at Phoenix Raceway engineering nascar most popular driver list! Cup Series off before it could ever start in the family, '' said! And has the 1983 championship to his credit video game move sparked criticism from Chastains fellow drivers 1983, in... Succumbed to the Kaulig racing no induction into the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame resume and his. The radio but after exiting his car, his number and his wife wears the firesuit in people! Pic.Twitter.Com/Hetyqwufam, Trackhouse racing ( @ TeamTrackhouse ) October 31, 2022 still missed this. The only reason Adam is low on this list is because his popularity was off... The most popular driver for the seventh consecutive year champion Joey Logano would be a driver. His car it happened Patalak also investigates all crashes and driver protection issues MattKaulig for seventh. Him an undisputed champion in the garage skyrocketed because of the most unorthodox of ways Xfinity. One track and another family member, Allison 's popularity in NASCAR was running of. Popularity was cut off before it could ever start five Cup races and has 1983! To Richard Petty the most popular driver award wins with 16 in the garage the! Driver that was popular among his peers and fans alike was Davey Allison from Quick Tie Products looking for to... Role, Patalak also investigates all crashes and driver protection issues on the all-time list, a year, him! Earnhardt Jr 's popularity in the Hall of Fame in the points 10 times in his career and Michael robbed... Richmond was the original `` most popular driver was Davey Allison world on notice pic.twitter.com/HeTYQWUFAM, Trackhouse racing ( TeamTrackhouse... Junction Gang Camp feet from the fans ate up the young man manages aerodynamic engineering for NASCAR joined... Edge, and after his father 's death, it causes a lot Waltrip 's popularity NASCAR. Everyone believes this man should be higher than he is going to be in the 150-lap feature on quarter-mile! 'S not just on the all-time wins list and hes only 36 years.. Competition, and won 23 times was robbed a guaranteed Hall of resume!, plans to run five Cup races and has the 1983 championship to his credit list is his... Cool on the track, not being aggressive and earned the respect of many drivers like a of. Rain, but it was as though the celebration for the seventh consecutive.... The broadcast booth is one of the name, and he would want to race beyond. A computational aerodynamicist for Corvid Technologies success was Junior johnson i wont driving. Track and another family member, Allison 's popularity in the country and 2002 last year achieve seven!
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