If there’s one thing that you can count on Chase Elliott, it’s winning the fan vote. For the eighth year in a row, the Georgia native once again claimed NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver award. A streak that now stretches back to his 2018 Cup Series breakout. “Thank you (the fans) for the votes. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to do that and support us in that way and support me in that way,” Elliott said in a statement.

However, most of the NASCAR community wasn’t exactly celebrating. While Elliott’s diehard fans saw it as another well-deserved honor, others weren’t shy about voicing their frustration. The news sparked a heated online debate that questioned whether the results were truly fair.

A legacy of loyalty for Chase Elliott

The NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award has long been considered one of the sport’s most sentimental honors. What began in 1956 as a simple driver poll has evolved into a massive fan-driven vote, where every click, post, and hashtag shapes the final outcome. And once again, Chase Elliott stood tall above the rest.

In 2025, Elliott captured his eighth consecutive Most Popular Driver Award, earning a staggering 56% of the total fan votes. Well, it’s safe to say that it’s not just dominance, but rather near-unanimous adoration. The top five also featured Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson.

However, once again, none came remotely close to matching Elliott’s massive following. His calm demeanor, deep-rooted Hendrick Motorsports legacy, and strong Georgia fan base continue to keep him NASCAR’s golden boy. “I think I have some of the best fans in the world and really appreciate you guys supporting me and pushing us and wanting the best for our team and being there on the good days and the bad,” Chase Elliott said after his win.

If you remember, Elliott’s popularity story didn’t begin in the Cup Series. Long before his Cup debut, he won back-to-back Most Popular Driver Awards in the Xfinity Series (2014–2015), hinting at what was to come. Fans saw in him a familiar name, a humble personality, and flashes of his father’s greatness. Speaking of which, Bill Elliott still holds the record with 16 Most Popular Driver Awards.

That’s where the conversation gets interesting. While some fans celebrate this continuity as a testament to legacy and fan connection, others question if it’s time the award reflected NASCAR’s newer faces. And social media was abuzz with most NASCAR fans calling the award rigged as news of Chase Elliott winning it one more time spread like wildfire on social media.

The internet erupts after Elliott’s win

The moment NASCAR announced Chase Elliott’s eighth straight Most Popular Driver Award, social media lit up with mixed reactions. While his loyal supporters flooded the comments with cheers, a loud group of critics called foul. Unlike Denny Hamlin, the 29-year-old is a relatively quiet personality, and often chooses to remain non-controversial in front of the media. However, that aspect of his personality doesn’t go down well with some fans, with one of them saying, “⁠I could butter a piece of toast and it’d have more flavor.”

One fan wrote, “I don’t dislike Chase Elliott, but I just don’t understand why people love him so much. He couldn’t even be bothered to show up.” The frustration stemmed from Elliott skipping the annual NASCAR Awards Banquet in Phoenix, where the sport’s biggest names gathered to celebrate the 2025 season. Many fans saw it as a missed opportunity for Elliott to show appreciation to the very people who helped him win – again.

Another fan bluntly claimed, “Most people don’t even know who he is… He’s a manufactured name because NASCAR has no stars, and the award is rigged.” While that might sound harsh, it’s worth noting that the Elliott legacy runs deep in NASCAR. His father, Bill Elliott, not only dominated the track in his prime but also cultivated one of the sport’s largest fan bases.

That family recognition naturally transferred to Chase, who entered the sport already carrying immense visibility and support. Add to the fact that NASCAR has failed to develop stars of its own in current times, Chase Elliott becomes the best possible choice for the award.

Others argued that Elliott’s popularity doesn’t match the visual support seen at the racetrack. “Great, he wins yet again and won’t do anything to actually promote the sport. I have no clue how he keeps winning when you look around each track we’ve gone to. It’s covered with Larson, Blaney, and other drivers, not as much Chase as people think,” one user noted, pointing to the sea of other drivers’ fans across venues.

Critics believe the voting system, which allows fans to vote multiple times, five (5) votes per person per unique email address per day, on NASCAR’s official website, inflates results for drivers with the most dedicated online bases rather than true widespread appeal. Plus, there is no way to track the votes and verify the authenticity. One fan offered a solution: “Congrats to Chase, but they really need to limit this to one person, one vote.”

To top it off, 2025 was already a polarizing year for fans. Denny Hamlin’s heartbreaking championship loss at Phoenix, despite dominating the race, had many calling the entire season’s outcomes a “joke.” So, when Elliott’s win came on the heels of that controversy, it only amplified the sentiment that NASCAR’s system (on and off the track) might be due for a rethink.