NASCAR.COM
Rajah Caruth earned his first Most Popular Driver Award in the Craftsman Truck Series.
The 22-year-old Caruth took home the Truck honor in the season where he became just the third Black driver to win a NASCAR national series race when he took the checkered flag in March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Formed in 1965, the National Motorsports Press Association consists of qualified media members who report on the sport of auto racing through affiliations with print, radio, television and/or Internet news-gathering organizations. In addition to the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, the NMPA presents an array of auto-racing honors, including the Richard Petty Driver of the Year Award, the Myers Brothers Award, the NMPA Pocono Spirit Award and the Wood Brothers Award of Excellence.
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Newly crowned champion Justin Allgaier won the Most Popular Driver Award in the Xfinity Series for the fifth time, giving JR Motorsports its 13th straight such recognition among six drivers—Allgaier, Danica Patrick, Regan Smith, Chase Elliott, Elliott Sadler and Noah Gragson.
Press Release | NATIONAL MOTORSPORTS PRESS ASSOCIATION
Chase Elliott returned to victory lane and the playoffs this year, delighting his fan base that once again rewarded him with the National Motorsports Press Association’s Most Popular Driver award.
Elliott was announced as the award’s recipient Friday night during the annual NASCAR Awards Ceremonies at the Charlotte Convention Center. It is the seventh consecutive year Elliott has been voted the winner. The Dawsonville, Ga., native has won the award in seven of his nine seasons as a NASCAR Cup Series driver.
The only major NASCAR award determined solely by the vote of race fans, Elliott received 266,363 votes. Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson finished second in the voting, while Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney placed third.
Elliott’s father, NASCAR Hall of Fame member Bill Elliott, holds the record for the most award wins at 16. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the award 15 times.
“That award is a reflection of the entire (Elliott) story, not just about me,” Elliott said. ‘I’ve tried to pay my respect that way.”
A driver must have declared for NASCAR Cup Series points to be eligible for the award.
The Most Popular Driver award has been presented to either an Elliott or an Earnhardt for 34 consecutive years.
The NMPA Most Popular Driver Award is one of the longest-running awards presented annually by the National Motorsports Press Association.
(Photo Courtesy NASCAR)
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