He has also previously held competition roles at Red Bull Racing and Evernham Motorsports. The interesting thing about Lorenzen was that he never ran a full schedule. They certainly seemed to work for him for a long time. The medal ceremony will take place on a podium in Victory Lane, which will be located beneath the Olympic cauldron at the Coliseum. 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. RELATED: Jeff Burton Explains Why He Believes Joey Logano Is The Most Valuable Race Car Driver In The Sport. When he joined NASCAR in 2016, Scott lent immediate credibility to the position. He won the Coca-Cola 600 five times. The official NASCAR Twitter account shared an image of the current top 10 most popular drivers as voting for the Most Popular Driver continues. He'll have a lot of votes from the fansthat's for sure. 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 | 10 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series - EuroNASCAR PRO Division drivers. When Labonte took over the lead late in the season, fans knew it would come down to the final races. 1. As soon as Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired. Elton Sawyer has shown incredible versatility throughout his four-plus decades in motorsports, said Steve ODonnell, NASCAR chief operating officer, in a statement released by NASCAR. However, he still has a long way to go to beat his dad, Bill Elliott, who won the award 16 times. Prior to joining NASCAR, Sawyer served as director of team operations for IMSAs Action Express Racing. Sponsorships drive my business, and my sponsors over the last two years have been through a lot. 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. So where are they? He's hard working, kind to the people he's around and can simply drive a car. The remaining two names are where the list gets interesting. These names all make sense for a variety of reasons, including their. 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. He took time off from racing because of illness, something he couldn't figure out but many could see was affecting him. His transition to the broadcast booth is one of the smoothest by any former driver. It has been a great experience over the years seeing him grow and become a very talented driver.. Everyone knows the green flag has waved when they hear DW's famous words. He won the night race at Daytona in 2002, following that up with a win in the rain-shortened 2003 Daytona 500. 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. Mark Martin is without question the most popular, most respected and overall most liked driver in the garage. 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. Another driver turned broadcaster that saw some success in NASCAR was Ricky Craven. (Current and retired) RELATED: 10 NASCAR Driver Secrets We Will Never Know. But then again, the driver that does beat Johnson for the championship will be the most celebrated driver in the sport. He's an eye catcher for young girls, and for the guys his driving ability is second to none. The driver of the No. Less than a month later, Parsons succumbed to the complications. 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. 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. View . He wasn't always this giving, as his early years in the sport saw him have an attitude and eventually take anger management classes. In fact, he was one of the first to make the transition from behind the wheel to on the microphone. 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 fans are the ones that spend the money on race tickets, the hotel rooms, the gas to travel and in some cases the plane tickets. Ricky Rudd Rudd drove for numerous teams, including his own, and won 23 times. 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. In 2004 at Rockingham, Long made the lineup, but he and some other drivers on the starting grid had the unfortunate term of "field fillers." Prior to joining NASCAR, Sawyer served as director of team operations for IMSAs Action Express Racing. Well, chances are that it could be all of them because Kulwicki was one of the most popular guys in the garage because he was one of the few drivers in the early days to work on the cars himself. It will come, but the question is when. Mark Martin 9. 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. The National Motorsports . NASCAR unveiled the list on November 21 and revealed which drivers in alphabetical order -have been receiving the most votes through the first two weeks. He also went as far as challenging the pit crews on the air, saying that if a team performed a four-tire pit stop in under 13 seconds, each member would be given $100 cash from his own account. Pearson up high, Petty down low, and the two connect out of Turn 4, with each hitting the wall. Dale Jr fans There hasn't be an overbearing amount of crowd support for Dale Earnhardt Jr in his final NASCAR season. He also works play-by-play for TNT and is not one for hiding his emotion. Once the checkered flag waves and all is said and done, there is a custom rat rod GMC pickup with Joey Lagano's name on it waiting in his driveway. 3 in this case cause those numbers are Dale Earnhardt's birthday. I have been a proud member of this extraordinary team for eight years, and I look forward to continuing to help grow the outstanding competition weve seen over the last several seasons, Sawyer said. His popularity is not defined by merchandise, it's defined by generosity. 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. 7. 9. Fred Lorenzen "Fearless" Freddy, smart, fast and handsome, was a runaway star in Cup racing in the 1960s. But, it's the man outside those statistics that make him the most popular driver, and man, in NASCAR history. We started sponsoring him when he was eight years old. These days, those pit stops are normal, but it was something when it happened. 29, and Harvick was at the wheel. While Elliott took home Most Popular Driver honors for the Cup Series, the award was also given to two star drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series. This is a dream come true for me, Smith said in a statement released by the team. The crash that sent his Chevrolet Silverado into the outside wall, tearing it apart and causing a fire to ignite is one of the scariest in recent memory. In simple terms, NASCAR is all about popularity. Danica Patrick 10. 3. He wasn't popular because of his racing, nor his success. We started sponsoring him when he was eight years old. Each one comes to the track wearing familiar colors of their driver, just showing the passion that the sport brings out. However, my quest to win in NASCAR continues. But, when Edwards won his first race, he decided to do something different, and at the same time, save the equipment. 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. Probably one of the more unique celebrations NASCAR has seen, but it sure is cool for the fans after he wins. The list in no alphabetical order features some expected names. Winning the title was noteworthy prior to the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. joining NASCAR as its primary sponsor, but the stacks of money provided by the Winston cigarette brand increased the importance of the championship exponentially. The fourth generation driver was extremely successful before entering NASCAR and had all the tools capable of getting to the top of the sport. Other multiple award winners include Lee Petty with three and Fred Lorenzen and Curtis Turner with two. Brad isn't a bad driver, but man is he having a tough go at this next-gen car. I have been a proud member of this extraordinary team for eight years, and I look forward to continuing to help grow the outstanding competition weve seen over the last several seasons, Sawyer said. Among his 83 career wins were four Daytona 500s and five Southern 500s. In this role, Patalak also investigates all crashes and driver protection issues. In a Wednesday morning tweet, Cassill said he plans to continue racing. 1954 - Lee Petty. Kyle was third in line in the family to drive and had a very successful career in NASCAR. The sport got this big because it became the popular sport in the country. Sawyer joined NASCAR in February of 2015 as managing director of the Craftsman Truck Series. The two sit 1-2 in all time victories, but the two were most famously known for their duel in the 1976 Daytona 500. That race has been nicknamed "Won From Above" simply because of how all the numbers lined up. This man isn't blowing smoke, but he does know how to smoke the competition. These days, Wallace is always a fixture at the track, especially when ESPN is doing the races. 2. 8. The highest paid NASCAR driver in the World is Kyle Busch. Busch has divided NASCAR fans since the early days of his career. He won the first Chase by eight points, giving Jack Roush his second of two titles. Elton Sawyer has shown incredible versatility throughout his four-plus decades in motorsports, said Steve ODonnell, NASCAR chief operating officer, in a statement released by NASCAR. Richard Petty Honorable Mentions FAQ Who are the wealthiest NASCAR drivers? The mark he leaves on the organization is significant. In that capacity, Sawyer oversaw race event management, transportation and NASCAR official training and development. Im hoping that comes true in this years Daytona 500.. He won 37 of his 76 career victories during that time period. That attitude grew a fan base that was extremely dedicated to their driver. Who knows where Reutimann's popularity will go, but you can bet he's living his own dream in NASCAR. Bill Elliott holds the record for the most awards with 16 followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 15. That all changed in 2010 when his career really took off. Petty just took a different path and saw the sport grow to what it is today. Four heat races, two last-chance qualifying races and the feature will take place Feb. 5. Voting for Most Popular Driver opened on November 8. With a car that was 22 mph slower than the competitors, he used the draft to find his way to the front and eventually win a race. For most of its 75-year history, and particularly since the early 1970s, the focal point of the NASCAR Cup Series has been the season championship. He was once known as NASCAR's "Iron Man," but Ricky Rudd's popularity could be defined by his longevity and toughness. 9 NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series drivers. Saving his equipment and running to the front with 75 laps to go, Roberts ran away with the victory. Now, his own "Junior Nation" follows him loyally but has been frustrated. However, my quest to win in NASCAR continues. "His wife wears the firesuit in the family," he said, referring to Harvick's wife, Delana. Were extremely excited about continuing our sponsorship of Chandler, Quick Tie CEO Harvel Crumley said. Bill Elliot Hall of Famer Bill Elliot was voted the sport's most popular driver 16 times throughout his 37 years of racing. Thought to go into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on the first class of inductees, Pearson was surprisingly left out. 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. Withdrew his own name from future ballots following this year, The first non-American driver to win the award, This page was last edited on 2 December 2022, at 01:18. 3. Jacuzzi, who manages aerodynamic engineering for NASCAR, joined the sanctioning body after working as a computational aerodynamicist for Corvid Technologies. NASCAR's 15-time Most Popular Driver and winner of two Daytona 500s, Dale Earnhardt Jr., hosts his very own podcast, The Dale Jr Download on Dirty Mo Media. His crazy antics in the garage are well known just as much as his ability to drive the race car. As one of the originators of the speedway era in NASCAR in the early 1960s, Fireball Roberts was a name everyone recognized in the sport. When he joined NASCAR in 2016, Scott lent immediate credibility to the position. The 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott holds the record for Most Popular Driver Award wins with 16 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002. But, he didn't celebrate as Earnhardt died on the last lap. He won the season . I see the hats and the t-shirts and all that stuff is noticed. Sawyer began his racing career competing at Langley Speedway in his home state of Virginia. This list includes Justin. He won four titles in that span and finished second in the points one year and third the other year. It only took one season for Denny Hamlin to become one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR. One thing is for sure, the "Ice Man" was always cool when behind the wheel. He was second five times and was in the top five in eight other years. In a way, Michael Waltrip's popularity skyrocketed because of tragedy. He was the original "Most Popular Driver" in NASCAR. Those 17 victories account for 18.3% of his win total. But, the most success Labonte saw in his career came at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Only took one season for Denny Hamlin to become one of the more unique celebrations NASCAR seen. Started sponsoring him when he joined NASCAR in 2016, Scott lent immediate credibility the! 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