Chase Elliott overcame the worst season of his career to maintain his hold on the NASCAR most popular driver award for the sixth consecutive year.

Elliott missed seven races this season, failed to make the playoffs and wasn’t required to attend Thursday night’s season-ending awards ceremony at the Music City Center. But he showed to pick up the only award solely voted on by fans.

Elliott beat new NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson in the voting, per results released by the National Motorsports Press Association.

Elliott went winless in 2023 and failed to earn a berth in the playoffs for the first time in his eight Cup seasons. He missed six races with a broken leg suffered in a snowboarding crash early in the season, and was suspended for one race for deliberately wrecking Denny Hamlin in the Coca-Cola 600.

He wound up 17th in the final Cup standings.

Riverton-native Justin Allgaier was voted most popular driver of the Xfinity Series, while Hailie Deegan won most popular of the Truck Series.