Joey Logano secured his third win of the NASCAR Cup Series season and the 40th victory of his career on September 19, executing a bold three-wide pass beneath the leaders with six laps remaining.
Fan Loyalty and Favorite Drivers in Modern NASCAR
A research study released by SSRS revealed that 64 percent of polled NASCAR fans could not name a favorite driver. According to Chad Menefee, who runs strategic intelligence at SSRS, that figure represents a significant shift from 2009, when 31 percent of fans reported having no favorite driver. The SSRS Sports Poll, which has operated continuously since 1994, surveyed 6,479 self-identified NASCAR fans out of more than 24,000 total annual respondents.
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Fan support across the current grid remains heavily fractured. Combining the five most-mentioned favorite drivers from January through August—including Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace, and Kyle Busch—yields a total of 17 percent. Data shows that no driver has captured more than five percent of the vote solo since Dale Earnhardt Jr. drew 16 percent in 2017 following his retirement.
Historical Comparison of Driver Popularity
The current figures contrast sharply with driver popularity metrics from the early 2000s. Dale Earnhardt held 18 percent of the favorite-driver vote in 2000 and 22 percent in 2001. Following his death at Daytona in February 2001, Dale Earnhardt Jr. inherited a substantial fan base, reaching 29 percent by 2004 and maintaining 68 percent support in 2017. Jeff Gordon held a steady 18 percent share between 2000 and 2002. Combined, Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. accounted for 34 percent of all favorite-driver responses in 2007, according to data from the Sports Business Journal.
During that era, top drivers achieved widespread mainstream visibility outside of racing. A 2000 Harris Interactive survey indicated that nearly 70 percent of the general American public could identify Dale Earnhardt by name. Jeff Gordon hosted Saturday Night Live in January 2003 and made 15 appearances on Live! with Regis and Kelly, generating roughly one million dollars in comparable promotional value for sponsors such as DuPont and Hendrick Motorsports, according to tracking estimates from Joyce Julius and Associates.
The Post-Race Altercation
The incident on pit road involving Hocevar and Blaney drew widespread media attention, including coverage on ESPN’s SportsCenter. Blaney had led 202 laps before Hocevar made contact, sending Blaney’s car hard into the Turn 1 wall with 43 laps remaining and relegating him to a 33rd-place finish. After the race, Blaney approached Hocevar, delivered a shove, and received a punch to the face before team personnel intervened.
Menefee compared the current dynamic to the 1979 Daytona 500, where a brawl between Cale Yarborough and the Allison brothers introduced stock car racing to a broader national television audience.