Chase Elliott might not maintain NASCAR’s fan-favorite crown for for much longer. The Most Standard Driver award, which he has gained for eight consecutive years, out of the blue has some severe challengers. Carson Hocevar’s Talladega win, his backing from web sensation Cleetus McFarland, and in latest on-line conversations have made Elliott’s grip on the award really feel far much less safe. Even veteran Kevin Harvick sees a storm brewing, although not precisely from the course followers anticipated.
On his Completely satisfied Hour podcast, Harvick opined that Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kyle Larson, is at the moment higher positioned to really problem the #9 driver’s throne.
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“I imply, I’d say Kyle Larson has a greater probability of beating Chase Elliott,” . “However on a yr that he’s successful and bought all the pieces rolling, he might need an opportunity. I imply, primarily based upon the memento gross sales and issues that occur out entrance, he’s truly beat Chase Elliott a number of occasions in memento gross sales out entrance.”
Over the previous few years, Larson has constructed some of the highly effective manufacturers in motorsports, turning into a two-time Cup Sequence champion together with his 2025 title win. He’s additionally gained well-liked filth observe occasions just like the Chili Bowl (in ’20, ’21, and 25) and the Knoxville Nationals (in ’21, ’23, and ’24).
His fan engagement has additionally exploded lately, with reviews revealing that he had surpassed Elliott in merchandise gross sales at sure factors in the course of the 2025 season. Final yr, helped the Coca-Cola 600 file its highest merchandise gross sales since 2010.
Larson has nonetheless by no means gained the Most Standard Driver award. He was formally listed as one of many prime 5 finalists in the course of the 2025 voting cycle, alongside Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, and Denny Hamlin, which exhibits that his fan base has some energy. Nonetheless, dethroning Elliott, who obtained 56% of the votes final yr, can be an uphill battle, even when Harvick feels there’s a probability.
MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 31: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Elements Chevrolet, (L) and Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, speak on the grid earlier than the NASCAR Cup Sequence Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 31, 2021, in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photograph by Logan Riely/Getty Pictures)
Discussions surrounding Elliott shedding his grip on the award started when followers began debating whether or not Hocevar’s Talladega victory and his rising partnership with McFarland, who has 4.7 million subscribers and billions of views on YouTube, may utterly shift the panorama. Junior, nevertheless, completely that Elliott was in fast hazard.
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When a fan challenged his opinion on social media, Junior fired again with a blunt reminder of his personal expertise. “I gained it 15 occasions and have a reasonably stable understanding of the way it works,” the 51-year-old veteran wrote.
Whether or not Dale Jr. is correct or Kevin Harvick’s Larson prediction comes true, the NASCAR group will solely know later this November. However with Larson at the moment caught in a since his victory at Kansas in Could 2025, it might be tough for him to alter the minds of followers with brief sports activities reminiscences. In comparison with that, Elliott already has two wins this season, in Martinsville and Texas. The benefit, as such, appears to be with him.
As for the fast prize up for grabs, there’s the All-Star Race this coming weekend at Dover. Elliott and Larson may have a battle amongst themselves on the market to make a case for each their campaigns. However when it got here to choosing the race winner, Harvick went with, effectively, neither.
Kevin Harvick predicts the 2026 All-Star winner
With solely the very best set to swimsuit up this weekend at Dover, there’s a plethora of choices to select from on the subject of choosing a winner. Larson, Elliott, and even championship chief all have a practical shot. However Harvick goes with somebody who has a chokehold on “The Monster Mile.”
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“I’m going to take Denny Hamlin,” he stated confidently in his podcast.
Hamlin at the moment owns three Cup Sequence victories at Dover, together with back-to-back wins in 2024 and 2025. In his newest win, he survived a rain delay and two time beyond regulation restarts whereas holding off teammate Chase Briscoe after main 67 laps on the day. Within the course of, he turned simply the thirteenth driver to win consecutive Cup Sequence races at Dover.
As for the 2026 season, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver stays firmly in rivalry to problem for the title as soon as once more. He’s at the moment second within the standings, 129 factors behind Tyler Reddick, which is spectacular contemplating he’s additionally balancing the speedy progress of his crew, 23XI Racing, alongside his personal racing marketing campaign.
He already picked up a Cup Sequence win at Las Vegas earlier this season, and given his latest type and expertise in exhibition-style races, it’s straightforward to see why Harvick went with the 45-year-old.
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