Being a popular driver on the track is one thing. But being a popular driver on social media is a whole different ball game. Data analytics firm Zoomph recently reported the most followed NASCAR drivers on Instagram and the results sure hold some surprises. 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace led the list in terms of Cup Series drivers on the social media platform. With 493,191 followers to his name, Wallace has gained a significant fandom over the last few years. In contrast, he had just 126,473 followers before the 2018 season. The main reasons for this growth are his voicing out for numerous social issues and improved on-track performances.
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Wallace is followed by none other than the Most Popular Driver Award winner Chase Elliott. The Hendrick Motorsports superstar has 479,474 followers. Winning a championship in 2020, Elliott has gone on to become the face of NASCAR since his debut. Coming off of an upsetting season in 2023, the support from his followers will be a huge strength as he tries to stage a comeback.
.@NASCAR‘s most followed drivers on @Instagram heading into the 2024 season, per @Zoomph. pic.twitter.com/QOk3e0Sp0Q
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) February 12, 2024
Third on the list is 2X Cup Series champion Kyle Busch. Rowdy made his shift from Joe Gibbs Racing to Richard Childress Racing at the beginning of the 2023 season but that doesn’t seem to have affected his fanbase on Instagram. He holds 422,257 followers in a show of tough competition to his younger counterparts. Going into the 2024 season, the sky’s the limit for him both on and off the track.
Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson (336,631) and Team Penske’s Joey Logano (280,489) round off the top 5 most followed Cup Series drivers on Instagram.
Tony Breidinger and Hailie Deegan upset Cup Series superstars with insane Instagram numbers
In the world of motorsports, not a lot has come close to reaching the tall bar that ARCA Menards driver Toni Breidinger has set. With 2,036,674 followers she trumps the numbers of her male counterparts by a huge margin. Having a career as a Victoria’s Secret Model in addition to being a skilled race car driver certainly seems to be helping her social media popularity.
Hailie Deegan is the second most followed NASCAR driver next to Breidinger. She has 1,499,535 followers, a number almost triple that of Bubba Wallace’s. Deegan is all set to make her full-time debut in the Xfinity Series in 2024 at the young age of 22. Currently the only active female full-time driver in the top three tiers of NASCAR, she serves as an inspiration to many women aspiring to make it in racing.
