Chase Elliott may not have been at NASCAR’s Awards Ceremony to feel the love from fans after being named the Most Popular Driver for the eighth year in a row, but it seems safe to say he has since made his appreciation for the No. 9 team’s supporters well-known.
The 29-year-old wasted no time in sharing a video on social media thanking fans for the Cup Series award, writing that he did not “take this award lightly and truly appreciate all the support each and every one of you shows to me and my family.”
In the two-minute-long message, shared after his 10th-place finish in the Championship Race, Chase explained how he is continually blown away by the passion fans have for the sport, regardless of where he finds himself in the country.
“I just want to make sure everyone understands that I’m forever grateful for that, whether we win the award or don’t win the award,” the 2020 Cup Series champion added. “I think I have some of the best fans in the world, and I 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.”
For Chase, 2025 proved a mixed season in the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, winning at both Atlanta Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, while simultaneously finding consistency hard to come by, racking up nine top fives and eight top 10s, eventually finishing eighth in the championship.
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All the while, teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron both reached the final four, with Larson taking home the second championship of his career, much to the disappointment of Denny Hamlin fans in what was seemingly the final season with the current Playoff format.
For Chase, the difficult moments experienced often find themselves eclipsed or pout into perspective by his beloved fans, telling media on Thursday, via NASCAR, “I mean, there’s definitely been plenty where I’m frustrated or had a bad day and I just always kind of come back to trying to remind myself of ‘Hey, that little kid who is wearing your fire suit that he bought outside at the merch hauler, and your hat and your T-Shirt and stuff that wants it signed, or, you know, wants a photo.
“This can be said for any driver, not just the person who wins the award, but I do think that us being in the positions that we’re in, and having a little bit of a platform, at least, you can impact somebody’s day and in a positive manner. It could be five seconds, it could be five minutes, but in doing that, I think that you’ve helped.”
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Chase’s popularity among fans appears to be something of a family trait, given that his dad, Bill, won the award a record 16 times, beaten on just three occasions by Darrell Waltrip (twice) and Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Whether or not Chase will be able to narrow the gap between him and his dad in 2026 remains to be seen, but what he did make clear is that he is fully intent on giving his fans more to cheer for next season.
“I know this year had a couple high spots or a few high spots, but I’m always looking to bring you guys more,” Chase said in his social post. “I always want to give you guys something to be proud of each and every week.
“And while I am looking forward to some time away, I’m also fired up and excited to do more of that for you next year, and to give you guys more to root for and pull for. And I think our team is in a great spot, and I’m looking forward to firing back off next season.”