Chase Elliott continues his reign as NASCAR’s fan-favorite, winning the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver Award on November 22 for the seventh consecutive year. However, when it comes to social media influence, the story takes a different turn.
Despite his immense popularity, Elliott ranks second in total social media following, trailing Kyle Busch of Richard Childress Racing. As of December 2, Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion, leads with 2,018,300 followers across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook, while the 2020 Cup champion Elliott has 1,924,600 followers.
Breaking it down:
- On X, Busch has 987,900 followers compared to Elliott’s 930,500.
- On Facebook, Busch again leads with 595,300 to Elliott’s 502,100.
- Elliott holds an edge on Instagram, with 492,000 followers to Busch’s 435,100.
Following Elliott in overall social media presence are other notable drivers:
- Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports): 1,322,800 followers (X: 520,100; IG: 375,700; FB: 427,000).
- Denny Hamlin: 1,271,900 followers (X: 803,700; IG: 255,000; FB: 213,200).
- Brad Keselowski: 1,158,400 followers (X: 762,000; IG: 142,500; FB: 253,900).
Two more drivers break the million-follower mark:
- Joey Logano (Team Penske): 1,135,400 (X: 534,000; IG: 312,000; FB: 289,400).
- Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing): 1,114,900 (X: 430,200; IG: 504,100; FB: 180,600).
On the opposite end, younger drivers understandably have fewer followers as they continue to establish their presence:
- Carson Hocevar: 106,500.
- Josh Berry: 105,200.
- Ty Gibbs: 93,600.
- Todd Gilliland: 83,300.
While Elliott’s fan-voted popularity remains unmatched, Busch’s dominance on social media highlights the diverse ways NASCAR drivers connect with their audiences.
