Now, that is a stunning twist in the grandstands. As Motorsport.com reports, Chase Elliott has officially opted out of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver voting, stepping aside so that fans can push for the late Kyle Busch to take the honor instead.
It is a massive tradition-breaker. Elliott had locked down the award for eight consecutive years since 2018. Before his run, none other than Dale Earnhardt Jr. dominated the category every single year between 2003 and 2017, while Chase's father, Bill Elliott, holds the absolute record with 16 MPD awards. In fact, the last driver outside of the Earnhardt and Elliott families to claim the NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver award was Darrell Waltrip all the way back in 1990.
This decision carries a heavy, beautiful echo of the past. It mirrors a moment from 2001, when Bill Elliott similarly removed his name from the ballot following the death of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, allowing him to win the award posthumously. Now, Chase is making the exact same selfless move for Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who racked up a record 234 wins across all three national divisions before he died suddenly at the age of 41 this past May from pneumonia that progressed into sepsis, just days after claiming his final victory in a Truck Series race at Dover.
Busch left behind an immense legacy and a grieving family: his wife Samantha, 11-year-old son Brexton, 4-year-old daughter Lennix, brother Kurt, and parents Tom and Gaye. When speaking to the media at Charlotte immediately following Busch's passing in May, Elliott laid it straight: “I think he”grs a guy that has had a lot of fans throughout the course of his career. I know the boos and it was fun, and all those things, but (he) had a lot of supporters, a lot of really passionate fans. I just feel like he deserves to win the award, truthfully ... I don’t know what was going to happen with that this year, but I just wanted to throw my support (for KB).”
That support has rapidly turned into a full movement across the sport. Drivers online have posted about casting their ballots for Busch this year, alongside Chase's long-time sponsor NAPA. Carson Hocevar, who has enjoyed a rapidly growing fanbase this year, has also urged his supporters to back Busch for the accolade.
If you want to make your voice heard, voting is open now until 12pm EST on Monday, November 9, with fans allowed to cast up to five votes daily. Meanwhile, voting is also open for the other national series: Justin Allgaier has claimed the MPD award for the last three years in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series, and Rajah Caruth took home the Truck Series honors in both '24 and '25.
