Imago
Image Credits: Imago
Imago
Image Credits: Imago
Chase Elliott’s popularity slipping? Yes, that’s actually a sentence people are saying right now. For a driver who has ruled NASCAR’s fan-vote kingdom for nearly a decade, the idea feels almost unreal. Chase Elliott has been the sport’s Most Popular Driver every single year since 2018. He has an enviable and unimaginable eight-year stretch of dominance that mirrors the iconic fan power once held by his father, Bill Elliott. But a new fan-driven poll circulating on social media has sparked a wave of disbelief. Not only did Elliott not top the list… he didn’t even crack the top three. And the driver leading the pack? Of all, Denny Hamlin. And that’s where things get even more surprising and a little controversial.
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A shock no one saw coming
Every offseason, @dabfordale drops one of the most anticipated fan polls in the NASCAR online community. Yep, the same color-coded map revealing each state’s favorite Cup Series driver. With over 1,000 responses, this year’s edition delivered its usual chaos, debate, and heated fanbase battles. But nothing stirred conversation more than the names at the top of the list… and the one that didn’t make it.
Overall Results:
1) Denny Hamlin – 9.8%
2) Kyle Larson – 9.2%
3) Bubba Wallace – 8.7%
4) Chase Elliott – 8.4%
5) Ryan Blaney – 7.5%
The shock wasn’t that Denny Hamlin placed high. It’s that he beat Chase Elliott, the eight-time reigning NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver. Even wilder? Hamlin has spent most of his career wearing the black hat. He’s been booed on driver intros, turned into a memeable villain after clashes with Elliott and others, and leaned into being the antagonist more times than not.
Final updated Twitter Favorite driver map for the off season.
Most poll responses ever means we have the most accurate map yet! https://t.co/y87JBEMjjy pic.twitter.com/kGWysx2FoR
— Dale. (@dabfordale) February 3, 2026
But 2025 changed everything.
After years of being NASCAR’s most polarizing personality, Hamlin went through one of the most emotionally turbulent seasons of his life. Professionally, he earned his 60th career win, dominated the playoffs, and reached the Championship 4 looking like the favorite.
Personally, it was devastating: losing the title in heartbreaking fashion at Phoenix, facing his father’s declining health, and then suffering the unimaginable loss of his father in a house fire in December 2025. Add in a lingering shoulder injury and the 23XI Racing lawsuit, and Hamlin suddenly became a figure fans saw not just as a competitor, but as a person.
The result? Sympathy rose. Respect increased. And, surprisingly, so did Denny Hamlin’s popularity. Now, with Elliott knocked out of the top three, fans have thoughts. And that’s where the next chapter of this story begins.
Fans react as new favorites emerge across the map
The fan response to @dabfordale’s map was just as entertaining as the results themselves, and the comments section quickly turned into a mix of shock, celebration, and chaos.
Top Stories
One of the top reactions summed up the tone perfectly: “Damn Denny’s popularity really shot up since 25 season.” Given everything Hamlin went through (the emotional highs, heartbreaking lows, and newfound vulnerability), many fans felt his surge in support was inevitable.
But the surprises didn’t stop there. A fan from Georgia, yes, Chase Elliott territory, dropped a comment that stunned everyone: “I’m from GA and I’m a Denny fan, f*ck Chase Elliott.” If even Elliott’s home-state fans are flipping, that’s a storyline in itself. Whether it’s frustration over performance or shifting allegiances, it underscores how quickly NASCAR’s fan landscape can change.
Another fan pointed out a “passing of the torch” moment unfolding elsewhere. “Keselowski lost Michigan to Carson 💔.”
Michigan, long associated with Brad Keselowski, now favors Carson Hocevar, a young Michigan native quickly becoming a statewide favorite (and a nationwide villain). It’s a reminder of how the next generation is starting to take over, both on the track and in the hearts of fans.
Then came one of the funniest reactions: “Logano not even loved in his home state 😭.” Connecticut stood firmly behind Ryan Preece, another local from the state, and not three-time NASCAR champion Joey Logano. This detail fans found both shocking and hilarious.
All in all, the map didn’t just reveal favorites. It exposed shifting allegiances, rising stars, and a NASCAR fanbase that’s anything but predictable. The offseason, as we begin the 2026 Cook Out Clash, may be slow, but the passion? Never.
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