Chase Elliott continued his dominance as NASCAR’s most popular driver, claiming the 2024 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Most Popular Driver Award in the Cup Series for a seventh consecutive year.
Meanwhile, Justin Allgaier secured his fifth Xfinity Series award in the past six years, while Rajah Caruth earned his first Truck Series honor.
The 28-year-old Elliott, the 2020 Cup Series champion, joins an elite group of drivers with multiple Most Popular Driver awards, including Richard Petty (eight), Bobby Allison (six), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (15), and his father, Bill Elliott (16).
Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, has been a consistent force in the Xfinity Series, contributing to the team’s streak of annual Most Popular Driver awards since 2012.
Caruth, 22, made history this year as the third Black driver to win a NASCAR national series race. His victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway propelled him to the top of the Truck Series popularity poll.
The NMPA, founded in 1965, is a prestigious organization comprised of media members covering auto racing. In addition to the Most Popular Driver Award, the NMPA presents several other honors, including the Richard Petty Driver of the Year Award and the Wood Brothers Award of Excellence.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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