A win in the Daytona 500, then at Indianapolis and again at Charlotte was by far the best season of his entire career. Voting for Most Popular Driver opened on November 8. Hes got a way better chance of winning this than I do. He also told Rutledge Wood ahead of the 2020 season that he can be kind of a jerk sometimes.. The 1979 Daytona 500 put not only him, but NASCAR on the map. Where's it going from here? Among his 83 career wins were four Daytona 500s and five Southern 500s. Despite only competing in 20 or less events a year, Allison was one that every driver knew could be a winner at any point. Before even stepping into the broadcast booth, Darrell Waltrip was certainly a character in NASCAR. The image of Bodine being carted off to the ambulance, all the while trying to take off his oxygen mask, earned the respect of everyone. Petty was also credited with starting the longest-running team in the sport, Petty Enterprises. After teaming up with Michael Waltrip Racing to drive the "Aaron's Dream Machine" in the Sprint Cup Series, Reutimann has gained his own following of fans. Was it his way of knowing exactly how to adjust the car due to his college degree? Burton admits that after he is done driving, he would like to get into politics. Most recently, he held the role of NASCAR vice president, technical inspection and officiating, a role he assumed in 2016. But, at the same time fans began to get tired of seeing his title run, and some jeers came his way. section: | slug: chase-elliott-wins-nascar-most-popular-driver-award-for-a-fifth-straight-year | sport: nascar | route: article_single.us | He's not overly loud, but when Matt Kenseth talks, many listen. He won 26 times between 1961 and 1967 and never ran a full schedule (although he finished third in points in 1963). These names all make sense for a variety of reasons, including their. Everyone knows the green flag has waved when they hear DW's famous words. Thought to go into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on the first class of inductees, Pearson was surprisingly left out. He's hard working, kind to the people he's around and can simply drive a car. 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. The 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott holds the record for Most Popular Driver Award wins with 16 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002. It was thanks in part to him becoming an owner and signing a very tough, very rugged and no-nonsense driver in Dale Earnhardt. Bill Elliot Hall of Famer Bill Elliot was voted the sport's most popular driver 16 times throughout his 37 years of racing. Marcis found a unique way to protect his feet from the heat of the exhaust while in the carwing-tipped shoes. In the mid-1990s, Geoff Bodine was having a lot of success as a driver, winning races and earning a lot of respect from his fellow drivers. Finished second in the points three times. Twenty-seven cars will compete in the 150-lap feature on the quarter-mile track built inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Latest NASCAR News. It also led to praise from fans, and it secured the top spot on SportsCenters list of plays. 1953 - Lee Petty. Pearson up high, Petty down low, and the two connect out of Turn 4, with each hitting the wall. It was inspired in part by the NBA's decision to select the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History on its 50th anniversary in 1996. Name Hometown D.O.B. But, Craven's most talked about moment came two years later at Darlington. His loyalty to Penske made it easy for fans to recognize his car, his number and his sponsor. Then, during the first Chase for the Cup, Busch made a believer out of everyone that he was champion material. Elliott won three races for Evernham, including the Brickyard 400 in 2002. ET on NBCSN) and that provides plenty of time to debate this list and any of the drivers in the top 10. He won the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 three times each. It was one of the greatest races NASCAR had ever run, but it was one that Bobby never remembers. 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. The documentary "Dale" is one of the most watched films in recent memory. His seven championships, 200 wins and numerous poles will never be equaled. It can be both behind the wheel and behind the scenes. He won four titles in that span and finished second in the points one year and third the other year. Twelve of his 83 wins (14.5%) came in the sports marquee events. Although his NASCAR career didn't see victory lane in Cup competition, Wallace admits his proudest moment was finishing second behind Dale Earnhardt in his final victory. 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: Dale Earnhardt Jr. to run Xfinity race at Bristol, MORE: Stewart-Haas sets crew chief lineup, MORE: Chandler Smith to attempt Daytona 500, MORE: NASCAR to award medals to top three finishes in Clash. Each one comes to the track wearing familiar colors of their driver, just showing the passion that the sport brings out. Before Elliott, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the award from 2003 to 2017 winning the award 15 times. His career was cut short, but his popularity reigns supreme. The list in no alphabetical order features some expected names. Craven would take the win by 0.002 secondsthe closest finish in NASCAR history. Harvick, for comparison, has made jokes in the past about his popularity. For example, he said in a 2018 video for NASCAR and Fine Line Productions that he put Keelan Harvick on the ballot. The driver of the No. Although early in his career he didn't get the breaks he needed, it was Rick Hendrick that saw the potential. The medal ceremony will take place on a podium in Victory Lane, which will be located beneath the Olympic cauldron at the Coliseum. As a broadcaster, racer or delivery man, Jarrett is a popular figure in NASCAR. 6. 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. 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. This is a dream come true for me, Smith said in a statement released by the team. Busch races for the Richard Childress Racing team and has a . Chandler Smith will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in a third Chevrolet entered by Kaulig Racing. Allison remains one of the most popular drivers from the early days and continues the legacy of one of the more famous names in NASCAR. The winner of the most awards is Bill Elliott with 16 in the NASCAR Cup Series. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has the second-most awards (15) and holds the longest streak, winning the award in 2003 and every year until his retirement in 2017. What's next for this tough driver? Here's a man that elected to go to a part-time schedule after the 2006 seasonand did so for two years. One of the nicest guys in the garage in the early years of NASCAR, Jarrett won titles in 1961 and 1965. He won the Southern 500 six times and the Brickyard 400 five times. From 1995-98, he claimed three championships, finished second in the points once and won 40 of 127 races (31.5%). He has been credited as being one of the biggest in the safety movement following Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001. 9, which he made famous in the 1980s. Four heat races, two last-chance qualifying races and the feature will take place Feb. 5. We are thrilled that Scott Miller has chosen to remain a key part of the NASCAR competition team. Richard Petty He went from seven-time champion to cultural icon. He held the series record for victories until son Richard topped his mark. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Earnhardt's win keeps him at third on the career list behind Bill Elliott's record 16. The Most Popular Driver Award is a family affair in the Elliott household. Darrell Waltrip won the award two years in a row in 1989 and 1990, while Dale Earnhardt earned the award posthumously in 2001. Bobby Allison and Richard Petty are tied for third with eight awards. He debuted on the NASCAR national series scene in 1983, racing in what is now the Xfinity Series. The following year, Busch found himself on the wrong end of the lawliterally. Results on who will be named the Most Popular Driver will be posted on or about December 1, 2022., Chase Elliott was selected as the Most Popular Driver in 2021 and upon receiving the recognition he stated, Well, I just cant thank the fans across the country enough. After an altercation with police in Phoenix, Busch was released from Roush and soon began his career with Roger Penske. They certainly seemed to work for him for a long time. 43, they know who drove it. When he wins, he lets everyone know it, not just on the radio but after exiting his car. It was almost as though the driver was a human jack-in-the-box. It was that kind of attitude that earned a lot of respect from the folks in the garage. He would lose his life in a plane crash the following year. Kyle Busch Two-time Cup champion whose 59 wins ranks ninth on the all-time wins list and hes only 36 years old. That will never happen again, guaranteed. [1][2], "Dale Jr. wins NASCAR's Most Popular Driver, reveals wedding date", "Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins NASCAR Most Popular Driver award for 15th time", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NASCAR%27s_Most_Popular_Driver_Award&oldid=1125068393. At the same time, he was one of the more quiet drivers, as he didn't exactly show his emotions when he got angry at other competitors. Roberts' career was most significantly defined on the original NASCAR speedway, Darlington. 10.1 Full-time drivers. Although he won 50 races as a driver and later six championships as a team owner, there would be no driving title for Johnson. His battle with Donnie Allison was shaping up to be one of the best the sport had seen to that point. He still remains a fixture in NASCAR to this day, and his legacy will never be forgotten. He won the Winston Open that year to qualify for the Winston event at Charlotte. The highest paid NASCAR driver in the World is Kyle Busch. His most popular and signature win came at Talladega that same year when Waltrip popped out the roof of his Chevrolet, thanks to the new escape hatch. Richard Petty holds the record with at least a win in 18 consecutive seasons. These are the drivers who made and make NASCAR fans stand on their feet and cheer. He could be the most hated and feared enemy on the track, yet when it came to helping others, there was no one with a bigger heart. 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. That soon led him to purchase his own race team and also buy the Eldora Speedway. Kurt Busch became popular probably in the most unorthodox of ways. Or not in the top 10. His 50 career wins are not his biggest credit but more of what he discovered in NASCAR that still continues today. Plus, Labonte soon had to battle a broken hand he suffered in a crash during practice one weekend. Nbcsn ) and that provides plenty of time to debate this list and hes only 36 years old at a. To this day, and it secured the top 10 very rugged and no-nonsense driver the. By far the best the sport, Petty Enterprises the first Chase the... 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