Who is the biggest NASCAR star of this generation? Well, this is indeed a trick question, as fans would rally behind their favorite star to add weight to this argument. However, factors such as championship wins, social media following, and merchandise sales give us a fair idea of which driver has the edge over the competition.

Now, we all know Chase Elliott has been dominating the charts when it comes to the most popular NASCAR drivers. It is as if the award is named after him as he bags it every year. However, in a surprising reveal, it was found out that Kyle Busch has the most number of followers on social media. Well, this win by Rowdy was only short-lived, as the merchandise sale data from 2024 has put Elliott back on the top of the charts.

Chase Elliott is in a league of his own

Trackside and online merchandise sales are big factors in judging the popularity of a NASCAR driver. It can be argued that it has more value than the clicks, likes, and interactions by race fans on social media. Merchandise sale highlights the fact that the driver is not only popular but has an ardent group of supporters who are willing to shell out money from their pockets to grab an item linked to their favorite star.

Adam Stern from Sports Business Journal shared a list of the top-15 merchandise sales trackside and online combined for the last year. And guess what? Hendrick Motorsports star Chase Elliott reigned supreme, even piping the NASCAR brand to take the top spot. His teammate, Kyle Larson, was placed third. Whereas the likes of Ross Chastain and Kyle Busch rounded off the top 5 places.

Reigning Cup Series champion Joey Logano and Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin were able to feature inside the top 10. William Byron and Alex Bowman also made the list, making it 4/4 for HMS. It’s fair to say that Hendrick Motorsports drivers are huge in the NASCAR community. Elliott, in particular, seems to be holding his own, further establishing his position as the superstar driver of his generation.

A report by Beating and Banging last December saw Rowdy take the top spot in terms of the number of followers on social media. This was major platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram combined, and the Richard Childress Racing star had over 2 million people following him. Meanwhile, Elliott came in a close second, just shy by some 93,000 followers. Well, he certainly made up for this from his merchandise sales, and it’s worth noting that Elliott isn’t active on his social media handles like other drivers.

However, in a rare sighting, Elliott did poke his head out, reacting to Denny Hamlin’s sarcastic jab at his fanbase with a social media post.

Elliott makes most of Denny Hamlin’s social media antics

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We all know that Hamlin and Elliott have a history of going at each other on the racetrack. The most notable incident came at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2023 when the HMS star sent Hamlin into the wall in a retaliatory move. Although the two had healthy exchanges during the 2024 season, both of them kept their nose clean. But Elliott got a good opportunity to get back at his rival after he shared his Spotify-wrapped visuals.

Hamlin sure knows how to wind up fans or be creative with his social media posts. This wasn’t a regular Spotify wrapped, but a custom visual that aligned with his NASCAR journey. His top song selection was “Zero Championships” by HMS fans, and it included a SpongeBob SquarePants meme wearing the NAPA hat, Elliott’s primary sponsor.

Making the most of the post, the driver of the No. 9 Chevy had a cheeky reply: “Hats for sale, btw,” he even added a link that would redirect fans to his online store. Well, now we know one of the tricks Elliott pulled off to top the merchandise charts, and he might as well thank Hamlin for his contribution.