Chase Elliott’s long-standing reign as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver, a title he’s claimed for seven consecutive years through 2024, now faces a challenge from his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kyle Larson.
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While Elliott’s stock car results have stayed consistent, it’s perhaps Larson’s high-profile stints into the Indy 500 that have catapulted his popularity among a broader racing audience. Despite the buzz, Larson responded to the attention with characteristic humility.
As of the midway mark in the 2025 regular season, Larson has surged to the top of driver-specific merchandise sales, positioning himself as a legitimate contender in the fan-favorite stakes. In 2024, Elliott led the rankings, followed by NASCAR as a brand and Larson in third. In 2023, NASCAR topped the chart, trailed by Elliott and Larson. Now, Larson’s name has climbed to the summit, flipping the narrative.
Speaking before the Nashville Superspeedway race, Larson addressed his soaring popularity and merch sales with humility, stating that two years of Indy-Charlotte double merch may have given him a bump.
He said, “Yeah, I mean, I think it’s something that is cool. And I’m just going to be proud of it because Chase Elliott is the man when it comes to fans and merch. But [I have] obviously had a couple of years of double and stuff. I think that’s why the merch stuff. But yeah, either way, it’s cool.”
Asked Kyle Larson about becoming the leader in NASCAR mechandise sales and overtaking Chase Elliott there. He said 2 years of the Indy-Charlotte Double merch may have given him a bump, and says it’s cool given Chase’s relationship with the fans and how much merch he moves.… https://t.co/acz2Y3PAjB pic.twitter.com/3qUT1tx6fE
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) May 31, 2025
According to NASCAR Holdings’ mid-season report, the NASCAR brand itself continues to lead overall merchandise sales. However, among individual drivers, Larson now holds the top spot, trailed by Elliott, with Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, and Ryan Blaney rounding out the top five.
NASCAR reported that merchandise sales at the Coca-Cola 600 last weekend hit their highest levels since 2010. Hendrick Motorsports capitalized on this with exclusive Hendrick 1,100 merchandise celebrating Kyle‘s audacious attempt to master both the 600 and 500-mile races.
The surge was fueled by limited-edition numbered hats, collectible die-casts tied to the Coke 600, and a collection of memorabilia commemorating Larson’s Indy 500-Coke 600 double-duty bid.
Yet Larson’s popularity surge isn’t merely a byproduct of his Indy 500 participation. Since his return to NASCAR in 2021, where he claimed the Cup Series championship and his dominance in dirt track racing, he’s captivated a broad fanbase, particularly among younger enthusiasts.
Co-founding the High Limit Racing series with his brother-in-law Brad Sweet, Larson has continued to impress with his dirt track performances during NASCAR’s off-season and midweek shows.
His profile soared further after being named the fifth driver in history to attempt the grueling double-duty, a narrative that’s vaulted him from third in merchandise sales in 2023 and 2024 to the top of the charts this season.
