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Chase Elliott is the one who swept the last six most popular NASCAR Cup Series driver's awards on the trot. Fiery performance on the track or not, fans made sure this Hendrick Motorsports driver does not miss out on the prize he practically owned since 2018!
Elliott might not be the best Cup Series driver currently, which his teammate Kyle Larson claims by some margin, but the #9 driver is still the undisputed king in terms of popularity. And it's not us, but the NASCAR fans who have voted for the #9 driver.
This brings one to the question: Why is Chase Elliott so popular? And what makes him keep others behind? In today's article, we'll delve deeper into the Hendrick Motorsports driver's unique appeal among NASCAR fans.
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Hailing from Dawsonville, Georgia, Chase Elliott was born to Bill Elliott and Cindy Elliott on 28 November 1995. His father, a former NASCAR driver and a Cup Series champion, was also renowned for his popularity. Elliott Sr. held the Cup Series' popular driver trophy for a record 16 times. It comes as no surprise from where the #9 HMS man got his popularity genes.
Besides this, some additional key points have helped the 28-year-old be so popular.
Firstly, Elliott took over Jeff Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports drive in 2016. This brought him ample exposure as he not only replaced a four-time Cup Series champion but also one of the most renowned drivers of his time.
Secondly, Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was a 15-time Most Popular driver of the NASCAR Cup Series, retired in 2017, and it was only in the next very year Elliott began winning the popularity awards.
Thirdly, Chase Elliott drives a Chevrolet for the Hendrick Motorsports team, arguably the most popular NASCAR Cup Series team currently. In a nutshell, the #9 HMS man inherited Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Hendrick Motorsports' fans altogether.
Chase Elliott's story of popularity in NASCAR
After years of success in the junior racing ranks, and junior stock racing series, Elliott made his debut in the Cup Series in 2015. By the time his Hendrick Motorsports call arrived, the Dawsonville driver was already an established name in the fraternity.
Elliott made his debut in the Xfinity Series in 2014 and claimed the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year. Interestingly, he not only swept that year's most popular Xfinity driver's award but also defended his crown in 2015.
As he debuted in the Cup Series, he saw how Earnhardt Jr. kept winning the most popular driver's award year after year, and finally, in 2018, his streak started. He swept the titles in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Interestingly, his on-track performances did not affect his popularity.
He won awards in 2020 when he claimed his first Cup Series championship, and in 2023 when he failed to qualify for the playoffs, did not win the race, and had one of his worst Cup Series seasons. In simpler words, Chase Elliott remained the most popular driver, no matter what!
