Chase Elliott Wins 2018 NMPA Most Popular Driver Award Presented By Hooters

by November 30, 2018 0 comments

DARLINGTON, S.C. – Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, has been named 2018 National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver presented by Hooters. The award is the first of his four-year Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career.

Elliott’s selection was announced Thursday during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards program at the Wynn Las Vegas.

The 23-year old native of Dawsonville, Ga. was named through 46 percent of the votes cast by fans. His father, 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott, has won the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award 16 times between 1984 and 2002.

The young rising star won Monster Energy races in 2018 at Watkins Glen, N.Y., Dover, DE. and Kansas City, KS and finished sixth in Monster Energy Cup series points.

“I’m so honored to win this award,” Elliott said. “With all of its history, the success Dale Earnhardt Jr. has enjoyed and the success of the Elliott’s and Earnhardt’s (winning Most Popular Driver) for so many years is awesome. It’s kind of crazy to watch that come full circle. To be able to receive the award this year is special and I’ll certainly enjoy it.”

“Performance on track and wanting to do well is my biggest hope. I just want to make all of the people proud that voted for us all year. Those are the things that mean so much to me.”

Completing the top-five in this year’s voting were Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota, Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Racing Ford and Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.

The Most Popular Driver Award is the only major NASCAR award determined solely by fan vote. It has been presented annually since 1953; the recipients were originally determined by a poll of competitors. It became a fan-driven program in 1984 under the guidance of the NMPA.

In addition to hosting the voting platform for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series MPD award, fan votes to determine the Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series were also hosted on NASCAR.com.

Elliott Sadler won the NASCAR XFINITY Series MPD award while Noah Gragson was voted Camping World Truck Series Most Popular driver. Sadler and Gragson will be honored Dec. 9 during NASCAR Champions Week in Charlotte.

 

MPD Winners

Year – Recipient

2018 – Chase Elliott

2017 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2016 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2015 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2014 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2013 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2012 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2011 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2010 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2009 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2008 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2007 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2006 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2005 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2004 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2003 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2002 – Bill Elliott

2001 – Dale Earnhardt

2000 – Bill Elliott

1999 – Bill Elliott

1998 – Bill Elliott

1997 – Bill Elliott

1996 – Bill Elliott

1995 – Bill Elliott

1994 – Bill Elliott

1993 – Bill Elliott

1992 – Bill Elliott

1991 – Bill Elliott

1990 – Darrell Waltrip

1989 – Darrell Waltrip

1988 – Bill Elliott

1987 – Bill Elliott

1986 – Bill Elliott

1985 – Bill Elliott

1984 – Bill Elliott

1983 – Bobby Allison

1982 – Bobby Allison

1981 – Bobby Allison

1980 – David Pearson

1979 – David Pearson

1978 – Richard Petty

1977 – Richard Petty

1976 – Richard Petty

1975 – Richard Petty

1974 – Richard Petty

1973 – Bobby Allison

1972 – Bobby Allison

1971 – Bobby Allison

1970 – Richard Petty

1969 – Bobby Isaac

 

Photo Credit: Hunter Thomas/TheFourthTurn.com

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