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Still NASCAR’s most popular driver: Chase Elliott’s rough year capped by familiar award

AP photo by Skip Rowland / Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott interacts with fans during introductions before a NASCAR Cup Series race on July 30 in Richmond, Va.
AP photo by Skip Rowland / Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott interacts with fans during introductions before a NASCAR Cup Series race on July 30 in Richmond, Va. AP photo by Skip Rowland / Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott interacts with fans during introductions before a NASCAR Cup Series race on July 30 in Richmond, Va.

By JENNA FRYER / The Associated Press 3 min read

NASHVILLE — Chase Elliott overcame the worst season of his NASCAR career to maintain his hold on the most popular driver award in the Cup Series for the sixth consecutive year.

Elliott missed seven races during the regular season, failed to make the 16-driver field for the playoffs and wasn’t required to attend Thursday’s season-ending awards ceremony at the Music City Center. But the 28-year-old from Dawsonville, Georgia, was there to pick up the only award solely voted on by fans.

Elliott beat Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney of Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson in the voting, per results released by the National Motorsports Press Association.

Justin Allgaier was voted most popular driver of the second-tier Xfinity Series, while Hailie Deegan won the award in the third-tier Truck Series.

Bill Elliott, father of the 2020 Cup Series champion and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, won the most popular driver award a record 16 times before “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” removed his name from the ballot.