Chase Elliott honors Kyle Busch, opts out of 'Most Popular' vote

Field Level Media|published: Fri 23rd October, 13:11 2026

Jun 26, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) talks with driver Chase Elliott (9) at the end of a weather delay during the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Chase Elliott ended his streak of eight consecutive NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver awards to honor the late Kyle Busch.

The National Motorsports Press Association confirmed on Friday that Elliott opted to remove his name from the 2026 ballot.

Shortly after Busch's unexpected death in May at the age of 41, Elliott said he was considering the move out of respect for his fellow driver.

"I think he's a guy that has had a lot of fans throughout the course of his career," Elliott said then, per The Athletic. "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."

Elliott, 30, started his streak of Most Popular Driver awards in 2018. His father, Bill Elliott, set the NASCAR Cup series record by winning the award 16 times, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. owns the longest streak with 15 consecutive wins from 2003-17.

Busch is on the ballot and eligible to win. The fan voting opened on Friday morning and runs through Nov. 9. The winner will be announced at NASCAR's season-ending awards banquet on Nov. 10.

--Field Level Media

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