A win in the Daytona 500, then at Indianapolis and again at Charlotte was by far the best season of his entire career. An independent group of 51 individuals representing various NASCAR roles were asked to give their objective and educated opinions on who the 50 greatest drivers in NASCAR history were. 29, and Harvick was at the wheel. That name is Petty. He likely would have been in more championship races in future years but decided to retire early. The only reason Adam is low on this list is because his popularity was cut off before it could ever start. That victory lap he took that afternoon would ultimately be the last one of his career. Patalak, who has worked at the NASCAR R&D Center since 2005, oversees NASCARs safety team, researching, developing and approving driver and vehicle safety systems. Sawyer began his racing career competing at Langley Speedway in his home state of Virginia. 3. 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. 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. The car wasn't black anymore, and the No. Or, could it have something to do with his most famous sponsor, Hooters? The cooling system in his car failed, but he was in the lead at Martinsville despite the temperatures beyond miserable. Smith joins a group of Daytona 500 entries, including Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana, who will be battling for one of four non-charter spots in the starting field. In a series first, NASCAR will award medals to the top three finishers in a Cup race. Before even stepping into the broadcast booth, Darrell Waltrip was certainly a character in NASCAR. When he won the season finale at Homestead, Hamlin made the point to say that his team would win a championship in the next few years. Was it his way of knowing exactly how to adjust the car due to his college degree? But then got asked to drive the No. First, the current top 10, alphabetically, as voted by fans at Nascar.com/mostpopulardriver/ Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick,. After running to the front of the field, he and Kurt Busch had an intense battle that saw both bump and beat on each other for seven corners. In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, NASCAR gathered a panel to select the "50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time." 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. Joey Logano is the best NASCAR driver right now. Popularity not only defines a driver, it simply defines the sport. They certainly seemed to work for him for a long time. The 2021 NMPA Most Popular Driver will be announced during the NASCAR Cup Series Awards program on Thursday, Dec. 2. On Thursday at NASCAR Champion's Week, Chase Elliott was officially named the winner of NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award for 2021. We have a strong team at NASCAR, and Im excited to remain a part of it.. 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. 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. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Oympics. It got so bad where fans wore shirts questioning Gordon's sexual preference. 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. "BoogityBoogityBoogity. In 1986, he won seven races and finished third in points. He won the season . Who could ever forget his infamous "Icky Shuffle" after his win in the 1989 Daytona 500 or his fully chromed out car and driver suit in the Winston from 1997 through 2000. The venue hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1932 and 1984 Olympics. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2. But as a broadcaster, he was able to reach an entire new audience, one that was more in tune with today's NASCAR. It can be both behind the wheel and behind the scenes. That attitude grew a fan base that was extremely dedicated to their driver. In fact, the two drivers had careers that nearly were parallel in statistics. Fans knew from 1996 through 2002 that if NASCAR came to Atlanta, Labonte was going to be hard to beat. He has also previously held competition roles at Red Bull Racing and Evernham Motorsports. 5. But who is the most popular driver of all-time? There has never been, nor ever will be again, another Dale Earnhardt. He won 26 times between 1961 and 1967 and never ran a full schedule (although . Also on Thursday, Trackhouse Racing founder. Everyone knew what Petty meant to this sport. For Burton, it's all about respect, and that gets him fans both in the garage and in the grandstands. As one of the originators of the great "Alabama Gang," Donnie Allison was one of the most popular drivers in the 1970s. 50. 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. The interesting thing about Lorenzen was that he never ran a full schedule. In his new role, Sawyer will oversee all aspects of on-track competition, inspection, rule development and officiating, focusing specifically on NASCARs three national series Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series. It only took one season for Denny Hamlin to become one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR. It's by far his favorite track. Weatherly started stock car racing in 1952, winning 49 of the 83 races he entered, a staggering winning percentage. 3. Prior to joining NASCAR, Sawyer served as director of team operations for IMSAs Action Express Racing. 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. Richard Petty Honorable Mentions FAQ Who are the wealthiest NASCAR drivers? Over the years, many talented drivers have chased the championship, won dozens of races, come close to winning the title trophy and built Hall of Fame careers, all while failing to reach that ultimate goal. Maybe next year that success and popularity will return, thanks to JTG Daugherty Racing. Most Popular Driver; Female Drivers. Other multiple award winners include Lee Petty with three and Fred Lorenzen and Curtis Turner with two. 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. Won 54 races. Twenty-seven cars will compete in the 150-lap feature on the quarter-mile track built inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Bill Elliot Hall of Famer Bill Elliot was voted the sport's most popular driver 16 times throughout his 37 years of racing. After parting with DEI in 2007, Junior came to Hendrick Motorsports and right away saw himself in the title hunt. He's not overly loud, but when Matt Kenseth talks, many listen. Media requests: reply below and Ill answer publicly, the best I can. He debuted on the NASCAR national series scene in 1983, racing in what is now the Xfinity Series. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, both saw spikes in crowd support. His win sent Harvick's popularity through the roof, and now he finally has accepted the role of being the driver taking over the Earnhardt legacy. It's appropriate that this year Jarrett is being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as he rightfully earned the spot. But, it's the man outside those statistics that make him the most popular driver, and man, in NASCAR history. NASCAR TV schedule: Week of Jan. 16-22, 2023. . Ricky Rudd Rudd drove for numerous teams, including his own, and won 23 times. The Most Popular Driver Award is a family affair in the Elliott household. 5. 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. Probably the fiercest rival to Richard Petty in the 1960s and 1970s was David Pearson. It was as though the celebration for the fans and Michael was robbed. A trusted voice in the garage, Scott used his decades of experience to lead our competition team to new heights during a time that saw a new race format, a new playoff format and a new race car. Prior to joining NASCAR, Sawyer served as director of team operations for IMSAs Action Express Racing. Current NASCAR Cup Series drivers name their favorite driver Watch on As the sport has many drivers who have passionate fan bases. The list in no alphabetical order features some expected names. He finished second in the points three other years. For Dave Marcis, his racing career spanned over 30 years and saw him win only five times. Teams & Owners. The problem with that wreck, more than the damage, was that car was the only one Long owned and put a major dent in his pocketbook. The second video alleged that the reigning Most Popular Driver thinks that Parmesan Garlic wings are too spicy.. One thing is for sure, the "Ice Man" was always cool when behind the wheel. This is a dream come true for me, Smith said in a statement released by the team. Allison won four Southern 500s, three Daytona 500s and three Coca-Cola 600s. 6. Tony Stewart 5. He has also previously held competition roles at Red Bull Racing and Evernham Motorsports. Smith will run the full Xfinity schedule for Kaulig. After Dale Earnhardt's death, Harvick was named the driver to take over the GM Goodwrench Chevrolet. We are thrilled that Scott Miller has chosen to remain a key part of the NASCAR competition team. Another member of the Alabama Gang, Bobby Allison's career is one that is among the finest in NASCAR. Unfortunately, the career of Weatherly was cut short in 1964 after a very scary and tragic accident. Were extremely excited about continuing our sponsorship of Chandler, Quick Tie CEO Harvel Crumley said. 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 Darrell Waltrip Claimed three titles, winning them in a five-year period in the 1980s. It has been a great experience over the years seeing him grow and become a very talented driver.. He has been credited as being one of the biggest in the safety movement following Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001. Davey Allison Truly his fathers son (Bobby won the championship in 1983), Davey checked every box that might be listed under champion in the early years of his career. Now NASCAR has revealed the top 10 Cup Series drivers getting votes each day from the fans. Fireball Roberts The sports first superstar never raced a full Cup season. From 1995-98, he claimed three championships, finished second in the points once and won 40 of 127 races (31.5%). The older of the Labonte brothers, Terry has enjoyed a guaranteed Hall of Fame career in NASCAR. Fast, fearless and controversial, he died of AIDS in 1989, two years after his final race. The Labonte brothers are the only family to have the distinction of winning NASCAR championships at it's highest level. 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