At Friday night’s NASCAR Awards Banquet at the Charlotte Convention Center, numerous accolades were distributed to celebrate the 2024 NASCAR season. Among the highlights, Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports once again claimed the prestigious National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Most Popular Driver Award for the NASCAR Cup Series. This marks the seventh straight year the 28-year-old driver has received this honor, voted on by NASCAR fans.
Elliott rebounded strongly in 2024 after a challenging 2023 season in which he failed to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Playoffs for the first time in his career. Nine races into the 2024 season, Elliott silenced any doubts by securing a victory at the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway, ensuring his spot in the Playoffs.
Throughout the year, Elliott remained one of the most consistent drivers in the Cup Series. Piloting the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, he tallied 11 top-five finishes and 19 top-10s across the 36-race schedule, while recording only two DNFs. One of these was a crash during the September Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, while the other came during the Round of 8 Playoff opener in Las Vegas due to suspension issues following a dramatic crash with Tyler Reddick.
The 33rd-place finish at Las Vegas left Elliott needing a win at Martinsville to advance to the championship race in Phoenix. Leading 129 laps, Elliott came close but ultimately settled for second place. He concluded the season ranked seventh in the overall standings.
In addition to Elliott’s recognition, other drivers were also celebrated for their popularity. Justin Allgaier, the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, was named Most Popular Driver in the Xfinity Series for the fifth time in his 14-year career. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Rajah Caruth, who achieved his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win driving the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports, earned his first Most Popular Driver award in the Truck Series.
Full List of Award Winners from the NASCAR Awards Banquet:
Goodyear Gold Car Award: Joey Logano – NASCAR Cup Series Champion
Sunoco Diamond Performance Award: Joey Logano
Most Popular Driver:
NASCAR Cup Series: Chase Elliott
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Justin Allgaier
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Rajah Caruth
Bill France Award of Excellence: David Wilson – Toyota Racing Development
Myers Brothers Award: Greg Biffle – Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts
Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award: Judy Simmons – God’s Pit Crew
Comcast Community Champion: Erik Jones – Erik Jones Foundation
Busch Light Pole Award: Michael McDowell – six pole positions in 2024
Sunoco Rookie of the Year:
NASCAR Cup Series: Carson Hocevar
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Jesse Love
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Layne Riggs
Manufacturer’s Championship: Chevrolet (Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series)
Growth Energy Green Flag Restart Award: Kyle Larson
The ceremony not only honored on-track achievements but also recognized humanitarian efforts and community contributions, highlighting the best of NASCAR both on and off the track.
