Chase Elliott steps aside from NASCAR fan vote to honor Kyle Busch

A rare step away from the ballot

Chase Elliott will not be in the running for NASCAR’s 2026 Most Popular Driver Award. The National Motorsports Press Association said voting opened Friday, Oct. 23, with Elliott’s name removed from consideration in honor of Kyle Busch, who died in May. The Associated Press reported that the decision was announced alongside the start of voting. The move takes the eight-time reigning Cup Series winner out of a fan ballot he has dominated since 2018. ^{[1] [2]}

Elliott had previewed the decision months earlier. After Busch’s death, Elliott said he wanted to support Busch’s candidacy and make sure he did not get in its way. In comments reported by On3, Elliott emphasized that stepping aside was not a claim that he was certain to win; he said Busch deserved the recognition and had a large, passionate following. The gesture turns that sentiment into a concrete choice as fans begin voting. ^[2]

A fan award with a long family history

The NMPA Most Popular Driver Award is determined solely by fan voting, according to the association. It is separate from NASCAR’s on-track championships and gives supporters a direct say in who represents the sport’s broadest following. The AP says voting opened Friday and continues through Nov. 9, the day after the Cup season finale, with the winner to be announced Nov. 10. Kyle Busch remains on the ballot, giving fans the opportunity Elliott hopes they will take. ^{[3] [1]}

Elliott’s record on the ballot makes his withdrawal especially notable. NASCAR’s 2025 award announcement confirmed he collected his eighth consecutive Cup Most Popular Driver honor, extending a run that began in 2018. The AP notes that Dale Earnhardt Jr. won 15 straight before retiring, while Elliott’s father, Bill, owns the all-time mark with 16. NASCAR’s 2025 report also identifies the award as an NMPA honor, linking the fan vote to the motorsports press association that administers it. ^{[4] [1]}

Busch’s public image often included the role of NASCAR’s villain, but the campaign has a personal dimension beyond the ballot. On3 quoted longtime Busch public-relations representative Bill Janitz saying Busch cared more about being loved than his hard-edged persona suggested, and that he would have delighted in seeing fans rally to vote for him. Elliott’s choice gives that hoped-for show of support a clearer path, though the winner remains entirely in fans’ hands. ^[2]

The vote now belongs to fans

The decision echoes a family precedent: Bill Elliott removed himself from the 2001 ballot after Dale Earnhardt’s death, allowing fans to choose Earnhardt posthumously. On3 described Chase Elliott’s move as following that example. It does not predetermine the result—Busch still has to earn the votes—but it removes a familiar front-runner and makes room for a campaign centered on remembrance. The outcome will show whether fans rally around the driver Elliott has publicly backed. ^{[2] [1]}