The always-anticipated NMPA Most Popular Driver Award voting began Friday morning and already much of the NASCAR Cup Series garage has thrown their support behind the late two-time series champion Kyle Busch, who passed away in May after a brief illness.
Eight-time defending winner of the award, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott asked to be removed from the voting ballot this year and so many other of the sport’s big names – from reigning series champ Kyle Larson to Christopher Bell to Carson Hocevar and Chase Briscoe – all took to social media asking their fans to please vote for Busch.
Elliott spoke to the media Saturday reminding that his father, another longtime Most Popular Driver Award winner, removed his name from contention in 2001 – the year Dale Earnhardt died in the Daytona 500 and that he just felt compelled to take the stance.
“I do think it’s an opportunity for me to encourage the great supporters that I have and the people that have supported my family over the years to show that love and show that energy to Kyle and his family,’’ Elliott said. “Ultimately, I believe that he is a deserving winner of it, and he has my vote. I encourage those out there that want to get involved and want to take part in that to show him that same love. I think he deserves it. I think it would be a really cool honor for he and his family.”
Hocevar, considered one of the front-runners for the award, said he expected to have many more chances to win the award and absolutely thought it was proper to encourage his fans to back Busch.
“It’s crazy, a driver that was probably super hated or not appreciated enough – he’s super appreciated now after his passing, and I think it just feels right,’’ Hocevar said of his decision to encourage fans’ Busch vote.
“I texted somebody and I was like, ‘Hey, just go ahead and take my name off.’ They used to be PR and really close to Kyle, and they’re like, ‘He wouldn’t want to win it by default.’ And so I was like, okay, I’ll just keep my name on then if that’s what you feel like. I’ll just urge my fans to go vote for him. I’d be very disappointed if they voted for me. We can try and win another year.”
To vote, visit NASCAR.com’s Most Popular Driver landing page. Fans can vote for one driver per ballot submission with voting being limited to five submissions per day, per email at NASCAR.com/mostpopulardriver or on the NASCAR Mobile App. The five votes per day aren’t limited to a single driver.
Voting is open through Monday, Nov. 9 at noon ET.
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