SURPRISE driver tops key NASCAR leaderboard

A surprise NASCAR star has topped a Cup Series leaderboard despite only featuring in one race so far this season.

The merchandise sales leaderboard showcases driver popularity across both the NASCAR Cup Series and the Xfinity Series, and tends to go hand-in-hand with the most popular driver award.

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Chase Elliott, for example, was voted most popular driver for 2024, and topped online merchandise sales across the Cup Series.

However, the start of 2025 has seen a surprise driver sit top of that particular leaderboard, despite only having raced in one Cup Series race in 2025.

Allgaier leads key NASCAR statistic

Justin Allgaier was voted the most popular driver in NASCAR Xfinity Series last season, as well as winning the series outright, and topped merchandise sales in that particular series.

However, surprisingly, it has been reported that he is also leading the merchandise sales in the Cup Series, ahead of the likes of Elliott and Christopher Bell, despite the latter having won three Cup Series races in a row at the start of the season.

Allgaier made his return to Cup Series action at the Daytona 500 with JR Motorsports, and managed a ninth-place finish, his first top 10 Cup Series result since 2015.

The 38-year-old's popularity among fans is clear to see, and may prompt him to make more regular forays into the top tier once again.

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