Chase Elliott Makes a Revelation on Family Privilege After Joining Elite Dale Earnhardt Jr-Lead List

If there were any questions about the popularity of Chase Elliott among fans, even though the Hendrick Motorsports driver had won 4 straight Most Popular Drivers awards before 2022, he answered all those questions when he won the 2022 award.

After winning his 5th straight MPD, Chase Elliott opened up about how he saw the fan connection. He also revealed the reasons for the rapport he shares with his fans.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver said, “For me, obviously, I came into a very fortunate situation. Dad had a great connection with the fans, and beyond him, I look at the connection as really an extension of his career and my uncles and my grandfather and just kind of the path and the work ethic that they had to be able to get to where they did and to achieve the goals they did.”

“And I think a lot of people really connected with them because of their approach and how they went about things and they were a little different than the rest, and I think that was very easily recognizable to the fans,” he added. 

For context, when Chase won the 2022 MPD, he found a place on an elite list of drivers. There are only 5 drivers who have won the MPD five times (or more) in NASCAR history. One of those five is Chase; another is his father, Bill Elliott, who won it a record-setting 16 times.

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Having come from such a rich line of NASCAR heritage, Chase possesses an added advantage in the fan department.

Chase Elliott on how he built his own niche with NASCAR fans

While he has the privilege of being Bill Elliott’s son, Chase found connecting with fans a task for some time. And regardless of his familial relations, he had to carve out a niche for himself.

He said to the media, “And for me, look, I get it, right? I completely understand that a lot of the folks that supported them and my family over the years have migrated to support me. I’m grateful for it, grateful for the other side of the fence as well, and grateful for the new fans that I feel like I’ve made along the way, too.”

Elliott further added, “I think once people, you know, get to know you little better. Either like or don’t like the way you go about your business, it is what drives people to want to pull for somebody or not. Some people’s personalities suit some people and some don’t.”

“And that’s what is the cool thing about sport… the sport we have. If you don’t like somebody just, you know, cruise on to the next number and go on till you find the guy you feel like you get along with. Because it makes it a lot more fun when you have a guy to watch, and you enjoy pulling for,” the 2020 Cup Series champion concluded.

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Whatever troubles he had, if at all, with fans are clearly out of the way. 2023 will be an important year for him and his fans. Could he pull off a Cup Series win?