Chase Elliott has withdrawn from consideration for the 2026 NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award in honor of Kyle Busch, who died in May and remains eligible.
The National Motorsports Press Association announced this Friday that it opened fan voting for the 2026 honor.
Elliott had won the award for eight straight years, but he stepped aside so fans could vote for Busch. NASCAR.com reporter Zach Sturniolo shared the news on social media. Elliott had also voiced support for Busch receiving the award after his death.
The decision ends Elliott’s run as the award’s winner and opens the contest to other drivers. It also marks a major shift in a voting tradition the Elliott and Earnhardt families have dominated for decades.
NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award Takes an Unexpected Turn
Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended his 15-year run as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver in 2017, opening the door for Chase Elliott to claim his first award the following year.
Elliott’s father, Bill Elliott, holds the record with 16 wins. Chase Elliott’s eight straight victories made him one of the award’s leading winners in recent years.
With Elliott withdrawing, neither an Elliott nor an Earnhardt will win the award for the first time in 36 years. Darrell Waltrip was the last driver outside those two families to win it, taking the honor in 1990.
Busch won two NASCAR Cup Series championships but never won the Most Popular Driver Award. Although some fans often booed him, he also built a loyal following throughout his NASCAR career.
Busch remains eligible for the 2026 award alongside the other 34 Cup Series drivers who declared for points and qualified for championship contention this season.
Chase Elliott Supports Kyle Busch for NASCAR Award
Elliott supported Busch receiving the NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award after Busch’s death in May.
“I would be in extreme favor of Kyle winning the vote,” Elliott said at the time, according to the report.
He also said Busch “poured a lot of his life into this sport” and deserved the recognition despite the mixed reactions he received from fans.
“I would certainly be in favor of him winning and whatever it took,” Elliott said. “I think it would be really deserving for him to have that honor.”
Elliott’s withdrawal follows a similar gesture by his father in 2001, when Bill Elliott stepped aside from consideration after Dale Earnhardt died. That decision allowed the award to recognize the late champion.
NASCAR Most Popular Driver Voting Dates and Rules
Fan voting opened at 9 a.m. ET on Friday, October 23, and will close at noon ET on Monday, November 9, the day after the NASCAR Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Fans can vote on NASCAR.com or in the NASCAR Mobile App. Each submission counts as one vote, and each email address is limited to five submissions per day. Fans may select different drivers across separate submissions.
NASCAR Fan Rewards members also receive 25 points for their first vote of the season through the Rewards dashboard.
NASCAR will announce the winner on November 10 at the NASCAR Awards banquet in Miami. The National Motorsports Press Association presents the award, which dates back to 1949 and relies entirely on fan votes.
Elliott’s decision leaves Busch with a chance to receive the honor after his death. The vote will also determine whether another driver ends the Elliott and Earnhardt families’ long run of winners.
NASCAR Cup Series Driver Drops Out of Most Popular Driver Vote in Honor of Kyle Busch