NASCAR most popular driver award finalists revealed

NASCAR: NASCAR Cup Series Championship

Nov 5, 2023; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (left) celebrates with Chase Elliott (center) and Gianna Tulio after winning the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

With two days remaining to vote, NASCAR released a list of the current top contenders for the most popular driver award across Cup, Xfinity and the Craftsman Truck Series.

The lists for each division were released in alphabetical order.

In Cup, Chase Elliott is seeking his sixth consecutive Most Popular Driver award, but this season might have left him susceptible to a challenge since he missed seven races because of an injury and suspension, leaving him out of the championship mix.

Ryan Blaney, the newly crowned Cup Series champion, is also represented in the top vote-getters alongside Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson.

In the Xfinity Series, champion Cole Custer is in the Top 5, alongside recent contenders Josh Berry, Sheldon Creed, Josh Williams and veteran Justin Allgaier. The latter has won the award twice and the other four are seeking their first MPD.  

Hailie Deegan has won the Truck Series Most Popular Driver Award in the past two seasons and is once again in the running alongside two-time and reigning champion Ben Rhodes, Carson Hocevar, Stewart Friesen and Matt DiBenedetto.

The winners will be revealed later in the week as part of the Champions Week celebration in Downtown Nashville.  

Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.

Exit mobile version