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Chase Elliott has been selected by the fans to receive the National Motorsports Press Association’s Most Popular Driver award for the eighth consecutive year. The award was announced Tuesday during the NASCAR Awards program. Elliott received 56% of the total votes cast. Other drivers placing in the top five, alphabetically, were Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson. “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. “But it’s so much more than the votes. I tell a lot of people this that I talk to about it, that it’s really about the people and the support that I get to see first-hand. I know not everybody has that vantage point or that perspective, but it truly is incredible and every year it blows me away to travel to parts of the country that you would never think that people are that passionate about what we’re doing. “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. 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.” Elliott’s father, Bill, won the award 16 times. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won it 15 times. The NMPA Most Popular Driver Award has been presented to either an Elliott or an Earnhardt for 35 consecutive years.
