2023 NASCAR THREAD!!!

It's the time of year most popular driver voting again! Maybe some newfound Rowdy fans can help unseed Chase Elliott

 

I think Blaney wins most popular driver this year! Chase, dare I say, is losing popularity.

 

You may be right. I forget how popular he is. Personally, I don't get it, but he is a nice guy too

 

NASCAR and Most Popular in the same sentence? I would like to be voted the MFer that would put you in the wall if you looked at me the wrong way during the pre race meeting...but that is just me.

 

Ask Corey Heim how well that went.

 

I voted:
Cup- Blaney
Xfinity- Clements
Trucks- Enfinger

 

LOL, right on. I hope Clements wins. He should!

 

You must be forgetting that NASCAR lost 500,000 viewers when he was suspended. For perspective, that is about a 5th of the viewership for that race. Safe to say that at least a 5th of the NASCAR fans watching today are 9 fans. Chase will win this award for as long as he is in the series. Short of them putting Dale Jr back on the ballot.

 

I believe viewership was down overall this season, although I could be wrong.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzcRQSJvQ4c/

 

That is just a statistic used as an example. I expect that more than a 5th of NASCAR fans are Chase fans. The remainder is split between 35 plus other drivers. Who knows though. It was never an award I really understood anyway.

 

Well done SHR


https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzWnvXwuL9x/

 

This is pretty cool as well.

 

As a longtime follower of the sport, I don't understand the appeal of Chase Elliott. The dude is so milquetoast on TV. No personality at all. I can see the appeal to non-NASCAR fans and corporate types (because he reminds me of many corporate types I deal with in the sport). He's probably a great guy in person and amongst his friends. He keeps things clean, so the sponsors are happy. It's like he went to the Jimmie Johnson School of PR.

 

I think it’s more of a legacy deal. Larson did not win enough in the 42 and does not come off as tough. Chase hit at the perfect time at HMS with Jr getting out and Chase coming in. Most were pulling for him at JRM and at least for me it was an easy transition to Chase from Dale Jr that made sense. I thought he might liven up with age but appears to be the opposite. I not totally against it though. Dude beats his own drum I guess. He can’t be anymore fucked up by his parents than Jr I guess. LOL. I still like the guy. He is my primary driver but I don’t disagree that he is bland AF!

 

While I don't get Elliott's popularity either, I will say I understand it. Most NASCAR fans are pretty simple. The only reason Dale Jr was the most popular driver was because of his father, especially with the way he went out. Chase is the most popular driver now because of his father as well. Bill Elliott was also very popular and personally, what I believe you see now is largely a group latching onto that nostalgia. Hell, even I liked Bill at one point. Granted, I was a kid and he drove the McDonald's car, but still.

Then you add the fact that Dale Jr was not good in his last few seasons and combine that with the fact that Chase had found some early success and (and at the same team no less) it was a pretty easy transition.

 

The season is over yet there are still unconfirmed rides in the top two series. Will be interesting to see who fills those and what sponsorships they bring to the table.

JAYSKI 2024 Team Chart

Changes from '23 to '24:

#? Zane Smith- No car number or sponsor announced for the Spire car. Will get engines from Hendrick.
#1 Ross Chastain- Busch sponsorship. ECR engines.
#4 Josh Berry- No sponsors announced.
#6 Brad Keselowski- No word on whether the NAVY will continue their longstanding sponsorship with him. "Build Submarines" was their savvy marketing campaign.
#10 ______- No driver announced, though Gragson's name comes up the most with support from BRCC.
#15 JJ Yeley- No sponsors announced
#16 ______- Ty Dillon rumored for this ride. ECR engines.
#22 Joey Logano- Hunt Bros Pizza is moving from SHR to support Joey in '24.
#31 Daniel Hemric- How many chances will this guy get? I rooted for him when he drove the #8 at RCR, but he's only ever had one good race.
#34 Todd Gilliland? - Nothing has officially been announced, but he'll likely return.
#42 JH Nemechek- Replacing Gragson in the new TRD-backed team.
#47 Ricky Stenhouse- Nothing is changing here, but it is understood that the team is for sale. Possible avenue for Dale Jr. to move into Cup ownership.
#51 Justin Haley- Now in the 51. I don't expect Big Things from this little team but they'll be the Little Guys I'll root for next year. No sponsor has been announced.
#77 Carson Hocevar- Same as above. This is a big competition leap for Hocevar but he did better than Gragson in the #42 this year as a fill-in driver. The B-team at Spire comprises leftover parts, so I don't expect a big showing. I think it's first base, with the end goal being a Hendrick ride after a few years of development.

As for Xfinity (Grand National), I can hardly keep up with the teams. So many big sponsors have left over the past decade, so drivers hop around much more than years past.

#8 Sammy Smith- I expect big things here. He's only 19, but he's sharp.
#10 ______- Kaulig car. Josh Williams is rumored for a Kaulig seat.
#11 ______- Kaulig car. Allmendinger is dropping back down to run fulltime Xfinity.
#15 Hailie Deegan- Ford is pumping some bucks into this driver but I've not seen anything remarkable.
#18 ______- No word on a driver for this Gibbs car. Sammy took the sponsor with him.
#19 ______- Is this the Sheldon Creed ride?
#20_______- Seems Gibbs is clearing house this year.

 

/lock it is over
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2024-nascar-thread.817211/


@tcBob @chris4x4 seasons over

 

Ryan Pemberton Passed Away at 54 years old Sunday.