Although in his death, NASCAR did mandate the window net, despite it taking seven years to do so. Junior Johnson Johnson was the opposite of a points racer. The interesting thing about Lorenzen was that he never ran a full schedule. He finished in the points top 10 six times. 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. NASCAR and the National Motorsports Press Association revealed the current top 10 most popular drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. The award is presented by the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA). No matter what, he will still have a following, but the frustration will need to turn to celebration. The second video alleged that the reigning Most Popular Driver thinks that Parmesan Garlic wings are too spicy.. Among his 83 career wins were four Daytona 500s and five Southern 500s. I see the hats and the t-shirts and all that stuff is noticed. 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. Chase Elliott sits in fifth with four wins. ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images. 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. His popularity is not defined by merchandise, it's defined by generosity. NASCAR also announced the promotions of several individuals to key positions within its competition team. After Dale Earnhardt's death, Harvick was named the driver to take over the GM Goodwrench Chevrolet. Rebuilding will be my top priority. Elliott continued his career with his own team in the mid-1990s but got a resurgence in 2001 when he signed with Evernham Motorsports to bring Dodge back to NASCAR and also bring back the No. His win in the 1960 Daytona 500 can be credited to him discovering the use of drafting. That is yet to be seen as his career is just getting warmed up. The fourth generation driver was extremely successful before entering NASCAR and had all the tools capable of getting to the top of the sport. Voting closes for the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award on Wednesday, Dec. 1, at noon ET. Most recently, he held the role of NASCAR vice president, technical inspection and officiating, a role he assumed in 2016. Plus, Labonte soon had to battle a broken hand he suffered in a crash during practice one weekend. 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. Other multiple award winners include Lee Petty with three and Fred Lorenzen and Curtis Turner with two. Most Popular Driver - NASCAR Cup Series | Official Site Of NASCAR Skip to content Top Nav Tickets Shop Quick Links: Schedule 2022 Results Clash Schedule Daytona Schedule NASCAR on TV. The list also includes Christopher Bell, reigning champion Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, and Ryan Blaney. Popular because he was tough, something many of today's drivers have taken to heart. His name was defined by a small budget trying to make it big. As a veteran driver, many of the younger talent came to Rusty Wallace for advice on driving certain tracks and how to handle the car. 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. He climbed out of the cab, stood on the bedand back-flipped to the asphalt. To quote Bill France Jr., president of NASCAR: These are the men who define the competition of our sport. Mark Martin is without question the most popular, most respected and overall most liked driver in the garage. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nascar | pageType: stories | Since joining NASCAR in 2014, Jacuzzi has led the team tasked to design the aerodynamic elements of the race vehicles for all three national series including the Next Gen car as well as the Garage 56 car scheduled to run in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. But, Carl Long does have a place on this list because it was one incident that sparked his popularity among the fans. NMPA Most Popular Driver Award winners. When Carl Edwards broke through in the Truck Series years ago, we all had gotten used to seeing a burnout or a set of donuts. landon cassill (@landoncassill) January 18, 2023. 9 NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series drivers. His loss hit everyone hard in the sport, but much like the slogan for Allison since his death, he truly is gone but not forgotten. Is it someone who is defined by his fan base, by the respect in the garage, the amount of merchandise sold or a combination of all three? 10 car to five top-five finishes, including a second place at Martinsville Speedway, last year. Less than a month later, Parsons succumbed to the complications. Now NASCAR has revealed the top 10 Cup Series drivers getting votes each day from the fans. 1959 - Jack Smith. The documentary "Dale" is one of the most watched films in recent memory. On This Day in NASCAR History; NASCAR Flags; NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees; NASCAR Hall of Fame Information; . Earnhardt's win keeps him at third on the career list behind Bill Elliott's record 16. Waltrip is still popular today with the fans even though he is no longer a driver. Logano, 32, won the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series championship and finished the season with four wins, 11 top-5 finishes, and 17 top-20 finishes. One of the nicest guys in the garage in the early years of NASCAR, Jarrett won titles in 1961 and 1965. His unfortunate death a year later from pneumonia following a scary crash with Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson cut short a promising career. His run-in with Jeff Gordon in 2006 at Bristol was a hot topic, but it showed that Kenseth was not one to take lightly. His popularity among the fans is evident by his nickname "Smoke." Kevin Harvick 6. He did win at New Hampshire, no thanks to the rain, but the fans ate up the young man. But, his popularity among the ladies is rather obvious. But who is the most popular driver of all-time? Sponsored by Hamburger Helper in 2010, it was also sponsored by Wheaties in 2011. Craven would take the win by 0.002 secondsthe closest finish in NASCAR history. Now NASCAR has revealed the top 10 Cup Series drivers getting votes each day from the fans. 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. But, it was an altercation in the garage at Michigan in 2003 that put Busch on the map, seeing as though it meant he had to take a punch. He won 26 times between 1961 and 1967 and never ran a full schedule (although he finished third in points in 1963). He's not just racing for him and his wife, he's racing for his family. In the race for the championship, however, he has finished second, third three times, fourth twice and fifth twice. He won the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 three times each. Kenny is still competing in the Nationwide Series, but it's his antics on the pre-race and post-race shows that put him on this list. Simply put, Tim Richmond was the first "rock star" of NASCAR. Media requests: reply below and Ill answer publicly, the best I can. NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (as of February 1998), List of all-time NASCAR Cup Series winners, List of members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, The Inside Groove.com Historical NASCAR Image Gallery, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NASCAR%27s_50_Greatest_Drivers&oldid=1130570646, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, * = Deceased before February 1998 ceremony, ** = Deceased after February 1998 ceremony, This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 21:21. 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. But, in a way, his legacy lives on. pic.twitter.com/Dh1CAvokeH. The sport got this big because it became the popular sport in the country. 1 of 20. It was as though the celebration for the fans and Michael was robbed. For Dave Marcis, his racing career spanned over 30 years and saw him win only five times. Jimmie Johnson 4. 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. He wasn't very outspoken, but he spoke out when needed. Wait until 2011 to find out. Pearson was able to fire up the engine, and then drove the car to a slow victory. Darrell Waltrip Claimed three titles, winning them in a five-year period in the 1980s. 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. Danica Patrick 10. In stepped Logano, a year ahead of when he would want to race in Cup competition, and he would struggle. The driver of the No. The award, which is determined by a fan vote, has been. When he won the 1992 title, it was the greatest battle for the championship NASCAR had ever seen. He'll have a lot of votes from the fansthat's for sure. Johnson's popularity in NASCAR was all about his ability as a team owner in the 1970s and 1980s. He was diagnosed with AIDS, something that doctors couldn't cure and no medicine could take away. His career was cut short, but his popularity reigns supreme. The "Candyman" himself has finally been taken down the list of the most hated active NASCAR drivers. Sawyer began his racing career competing at Langley Speedway in his home state of Virginia. 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. The medals will be presented after the Feb. 5 Busch Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. His legacy is set and is still growing with every season. Unfortunately, I wont be driving the 10 car full time this year, he tweeted. The 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott holds the record for Most Popular Driver Award wins with 16 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002. 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. His first race out in the NAPA car, Waltrip won the Daytona 500. 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. Please feel free to share your thoughts about our greatest NASCAR drivers ranking, in our comments section. In fact, the two drivers had careers that nearly were parallel in statistics. A former Busch Series champion as well, Kenseth's cool demeanor has been very popular with the fans because he's not one to get angry. pic.twitter.com/4PPjDbCy0J. The mark he leaves on the organization is significant. He got the big break he was looking for thanks to Dale Earnhardt in 2001. Fireball Roberts 1 of 49 As one of the originators of the speedway era in NASCAR in the early 1960s, Fireball Roberts. We still see fans wear the No. Who is the most popular driver of all time? Weatherly started stock car racing in 1952, winning 49 of the 83 races he entered, a staggering winning percentage. Bill Elliott, Chase's father, won the award a record 16 times between 1984 and 2002, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the award 15 years in a row from 2003 to 2017. In 1995, he signed on with Joe Gibbs Racing to race the No. I cant thank the fans across the country enough., Hear from your 2021 NMPA Most Popular Driver, @chaseelliott. Marcis found a unique way to protect his feet from the heat of the exhaust while in the carwing-tipped shoes. Johnsons seven titles came in 11 seasons, a remarkable feat in what at that point was arguably the most competitive era of NASCAR. However, he still has a long way to go to beat his dad, Bill Elliott, who won the award 16 times. He scored his best points finish second in 1991. That win would be Craven's last and would be the final one for Pontiac. Not in competition, but he did drive one. NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers is an alphabetical list of NASCAR drivers. Probst joined NASCAR in 2016, providing senior oversight of an engineering group that develops and incorporates new technology into all aspects of NASCAR competition. Unfortunately, the career of Weatherly was cut short in 1964 after a very scary and tragic accident. He won 37 of his 76 career victories during that time period. Here is a list of those five drivers, listed in alphabetical order. Thanks to @C_Rice1 and @MattKaulig for the shot in 2022, and for being a great team. When he made the first Chase in 2004, he finished third, then second the next season. He became the first man to win back-to-back Chase titles from 2006-2007, then tied Cale Yarborough with three straight in 2008. He was popular especially for the commercials he did with UPS. Hes a Cup Series champion, he has a sizable fanbase, and hes the son of Bill Elliott. Championship Ranking; Championship Overview; Win Ranking; . NASCAR Drivers; No. His ability to run fast and maintain control on the unique track got him four wins in the late 50s and early 60s. 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. The team announced Wednesday that Smith, 20, plans to run five Cup races with sponsorship from Quick Tie Products. Or not in the top 10. Among Lee Pettys win was the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959. Cash in on NFL Wild Card Weekend: Bet $5, Get $150 in Free Bets. 50. In a Wednesday morning tweet, Cassill said he plans to continue racing. 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. Bold prediction, or was he reaching for a miracle? Following his lengthy driving career, Elton held key leadership positions for several race teams and here at NASCAR for the last eight seasons. It's by far his favorite track. In 1986, he won seven races and finished third in points. He won the night race at Daytona in 2002, following that up with a win in the rain-shortened 2003 Daytona 500. He drove cars like there was no tomorrow. Was it his way of knowing exactly how to adjust the car due to his college degree? He may not have reached a level like his famous father, but Kyle certainly held his own. A lot of respect from both the fans and the drivers goes toward Johnson, and his popularity continues to grow as he remains a constant figure in the sport. As one of the originators of the great "Alabama Gang," Donnie Allison was one of the most popular drivers in the 1970s. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. 9. After just two races, McMurray put his name on the map as he won at Charlotte. The race after his death was at Pocono, and every driver was taking the loss hard. 10. 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. Long continued to race, but after an engine fiasco at the Sprint All-Star Race a few years ago that saw him penalized $250,000, we didn't hear much from him. It's not the track promoters that spend the money in commercials, and it is certainly not the sponsors getting their product exposure every weekend. His commercials with Aaron's are very popular, and Waltrip himself knew that when he started his own team, this was a guy he had to have. Media requests: reply below and Ill answer publicly, the best I can. In his racing career, Allison won 84 races and has the 1983 championship to his credit. That seemed to help out a lot, as not only did it increase his ability to control his temper, it also helped him become a better driver. John Probst has been promoted to chief racing development officer; Dr. Eric Jacuzzi has been promoted to vice president of vehicle performance; Dr. John Patalak has been promoted to vice president of safety engineering; and Brandon Thomas has been promoted to vice president of vehicle design. This video game move sparked criticism from Chastains fellow drivers. But, after the race, he pulled to the start/finish line with his crew. Kaulig Racing announced Wednesday that Chandler Smith will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in a third Kaulig car but has not announced plans for the 10 Xfinity car. Of all time that Parmesan Garlic wings are too spicy 2006-2007, then tied Cale Yarborough with three Fred... During that time period first Chase in 2004, he signed on with Joe Gibbs racing race. Multiple award winners include Lee Petty with three and Fred Lorenzen and Turner! He 's racing for him and his wife, he won at.... 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