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2017 NASCAR.com superlatives
By | Published: December 16, 2017 14
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Surprise Driver of the Year: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Stenhouse Jr. was 0-for-157 in NASCAR's premier series before breaking through for his first win, foiling Kyle Busch with a last-lap pass at Talladega Superspeedway in May. Less than two months later, Stenhouse ruled Daytona for his second career victory -- a stunning jump in the win column in his fifth full season. He would advance to the Round of 12 in the playoffs. -- Zack Albert
Honorable Mention: Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson
Stenhouse Jr. was 0-for-157 in NASCAR's premier series before breaking through for his first win, foiling Kyle Busch with a last-lap pass at Talladega Superspeedway in May. Less than two months later, Stenhouse ruled Daytona for his second career victory -- a stunning jump in the win column in his fifth full season. He would advance to the Round of 12 in the playoffs. -- Zack Albert
Honorable Mention: Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson
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Farewell of the Year: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Earnhardt Jr.’s decision to walk away from full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition sent reverberations throughout NASCAR Nation. The 15-time Most Popular Driver made the announcement in April at Hendrick Motorsports, owning the room as only he can. -- Pat DeCola
Honorable Mention: Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Danica Patrick
Earnhardt Jr.’s decision to walk away from full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition sent reverberations throughout NASCAR Nation. The 15-time Most Popular Driver made the announcement in April at Hendrick Motorsports, owning the room as only he can. -- Pat DeCola
Honorable Mention: Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Danica Patrick
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Comeback of the Year: Wood Brothers Racing
Before the 2017 season, the historic organization's most recent win was at the 2011 Daytona 500 in Trevor Bayne's second career start. Ryan Blaney, who had come close to wins earlier in the season, changed that in June with his triumph at Pocono. Seeing the iconic No. 21 car in Victory Lane was a much-celebrated sight in the sport and put the organization one win away from 100 in its 64 years. -- RJ Kraft
Honorable Mention: Matt Kenseth, Richard Chidress Racing
Before the 2017 season, the historic organization's most recent win was at the 2011 Daytona 500 in Trevor Bayne's second career start. Ryan Blaney, who had come close to wins earlier in the season, changed that in June with his triumph at Pocono. Seeing the iconic No. 21 car in Victory Lane was a much-celebrated sight in the sport and put the organization one win away from 100 in its 64 years. -- RJ Kraft
Honorable Mention: Matt Kenseth, Richard Chidress Racing
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Competition Enhancement of the Year: Stage racing
The first year of stage racing did exactly what it was intended to do: Provide fans with more moments throughout the race (who can forget the Kyle Busch-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. battle at Martinsville, for example) and make every lap matter more. We can't wait for Year 2, now that teams have had a full season to digest its importance. -- Brad Norman
Honorable Mention: Regular Season Champions, enhanced weekend schedules
The first year of stage racing did exactly what it was intended to do: Provide fans with more moments throughout the race (who can forget the Kyle Busch-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. battle at Martinsville, for example) and make every lap matter more. We can't wait for Year 2, now that teams have had a full season to digest its importance. -- Brad Norman
Honorable Mention: Regular Season Champions, enhanced weekend schedules
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Young Star of the Year: Kyle Larson
Larson took the 2017 season by storm, landing four wins and 150 percent more top-five and top-10 finishes than he had a year prior. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver was a legitimate title contender until late in the year in his age 24 season and rolls into 2018 as a favorite once again. -- Pat DeCola
Honorable Mention: Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Chase Elliott
Larson took the 2017 season by storm, landing four wins and 150 percent more top-five and top-10 finishes than he had a year prior. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver was a legitimate title contender until late in the year in his age 24 season and rolls into 2018 as a favorite once again. -- Pat DeCola
Honorable Mention: Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Chase Elliott
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Tweet of the Year: Non Dale Jr. edition
Before Darrell Wallace Jr. was announced as the new driver of the iconic No. 43 car with Richard Petty Motorsports, he was aggressively and humorously searching for a sponsor. His fondness for Domino’s pizza seemed like a perfect fit. A ‘video pitch’ sent via Twitter turned into internet gold quickly. -- Allie Davison
Before Darrell Wallace Jr. was announced as the new driver of the iconic No. 43 car with Richard Petty Motorsports, he was aggressively and humorously searching for a sponsor. His fondness for Domino’s pizza seemed like a perfect fit. A ‘video pitch’ sent via Twitter turned into internet gold quickly. -- Allie Davison
Maybe this will get their attention..????????? pic.twitter.com/tpgekV8Wi5
— Darrell Wallace Jr (@BubbaWallace) September 29, 2017
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Tweet of the Year: Dale Jr. edition
It was tough to pick the BEST tweet from Dale Jr. since every time he opens the app it seems to go viral, but an on-track wreck between Junior and Ryan Blaney at Martinsville sparked one of the most ‘savage’ responses for Junior. According to @DaleJr, Blaney attempted to call Earnhardt (who is also his neighbor), but it was ‘too soon’ for the ol boy to dial it up. -- Allie Davison
It was tough to pick the BEST tweet from Dale Jr. since every time he opens the app it seems to go viral, but an on-track wreck between Junior and Ryan Blaney at Martinsville sparked one of the most ‘savage’ responses for Junior. According to @DaleJr, Blaney attempted to call Earnhardt (who is also his neighbor), but it was ‘too soon’ for the ol boy to dial it up. -- Allie Davison
Too soon ol boy. @BubbaWallace @Blaney #StillSprint #Declined #BYOB pic.twitter.com/81Dq340aVO
— Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) April 3, 2017
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Soundbite of the Year: 'America, 1776, we are the champs!'
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. uttered these words after winning the Coke Zero 400 on July 1 at Daytona International Speedway, and instantly they became a thing. Stenhouse was fired up for his second win in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the off-the-cuff remark ending his trackside interview with NBC’s Marty Snider near Independence Day was one for the memory bank. -- George Winkler
Honorable Mention: 'Everything is great' (Kyle Busch), 'Sometimes you just don't like a guy' (Kyle Busch)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. uttered these words after winning the Coke Zero 400 on July 1 at Daytona International Speedway, and instantly they became a thing. Stenhouse was fired up for his second win in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the off-the-cuff remark ending his trackside interview with NBC’s Marty Snider near Independence Day was one for the memory bank. -- George Winkler
Honorable Mention: 'Everything is great' (Kyle Busch), 'Sometimes you just don't like a guy' (Kyle Busch)
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Team of the Year: Furniture Row Racing
The Denver-based organization added a second car for 2017 while building off the recent success of Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 78 group. Erik Jones took home Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, while Truex posted a career-high eight wins and was an intermediate track master, capped off with his championship-winning triumph at Miami. -- RJ Kraft
Honorable Mention: JR Motorsports, Kyle Busch Motorsports
The Denver-based organization added a second car for 2017 while building off the recent success of Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 78 group. Erik Jones took home Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, while Truex posted a career-high eight wins and was an intermediate track master, capped off with his championship-winning triumph at Miami. -- RJ Kraft
Honorable Mention: JR Motorsports, Kyle Busch Motorsports
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Moment (on-track) of the Year: Matt Kenseth's Phoenix win
Matt Kenseth added a dramatic subplot to the next-to-last race of the season at Phoenix Raceway, surging past Chase Elliott to lead the final 10 laps of the Can-Am 500. Barring a comeback with another team, the 45-year-old veteran savored a special send-off celebration in Victory Lane, capping one of the season's most popular triumphs. -- Zack Albert
Honorable Mention: Stenhouse moving Kyle Busch on final lap of Stage 2 at Martinsville in April; Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s final Talladega start; Austin Dillon returning the No. 3 to Victory Lane in the Coca-Cola 600.
Matt Kenseth added a dramatic subplot to the next-to-last race of the season at Phoenix Raceway, surging past Chase Elliott to lead the final 10 laps of the Can-Am 500. Barring a comeback with another team, the 45-year-old veteran savored a special send-off celebration in Victory Lane, capping one of the season's most popular triumphs. -- Zack Albert
Honorable Mention: Stenhouse moving Kyle Busch on final lap of Stage 2 at Martinsville in April; Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s final Talladega start; Austin Dillon returning the No. 3 to Victory Lane in the Coca-Cola 600.
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Crew chief of the Year: Cole Pearn
Pearn was the steady hand atop the championship-winning No. 78 Furniture Row Racing pit box, navigating some trying circumstances for the team. Every weekend, the team unloaded with speed and was a contender to win – notching eight victories overall. The Canadian-born crew chief was seemingly ahead of the curve on the value of stage wins and playoff points over the course of the season. -- RJ Kraft
Honorable Mention: Adam Stevens, Chad Johnston
Pearn was the steady hand atop the championship-winning No. 78 Furniture Row Racing pit box, navigating some trying circumstances for the team. Every weekend, the team unloaded with speed and was a contender to win – notching eight victories overall. The Canadian-born crew chief was seemingly ahead of the curve on the value of stage wins and playoff points over the course of the season. -- RJ Kraft
Honorable Mention: Adam Stevens, Chad Johnston
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Moment (off-track) of the Year: Martin Truex Jr. and Sherry Pollex's season
Martin Truex Jr.'s storybook season wasn't just emotional on the track in 2017. His relationship with longtime partner Sherry Pollex tugged at everyone's heart strings as they stood hand-in-hand while Pollex continued her fight with ovarian cancer. Through the tears and cheers in Miami, Truex and Pollex embraced each other and shared why their motto 'Never give up' is more than just a phrase. -- Allie Davison
Honorable mention: Dale Jr. celebrates post-Miami, Tony Gibson celebrates Daytona 500 win
Martin Truex Jr.'s storybook season wasn't just emotional on the track in 2017. His relationship with longtime partner Sherry Pollex tugged at everyone's heart strings as they stood hand-in-hand while Pollex continued her fight with ovarian cancer. Through the tears and cheers in Miami, Truex and Pollex embraced each other and shared why their motto 'Never give up' is more than just a phrase. -- Allie Davison
Honorable mention: Dale Jr. celebrates post-Miami, Tony Gibson celebrates Daytona 500 win
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Race of the Year: Martinsville (fall)
October in Martinsville has evolved into perhaps the most high-stakes race of the season … other than Miami, of course. It's the first race of the Round of 8, and the first time drivers can officially lock up a spot in the Championship 4. Martinsville takes this category (although in transparency, it won via tiebreaker with Phoenix-2) because of both its incredible close-quarters racing and its potential long-lasting impact as the place where the Chase Elliott-Denny Hamlin rivalry began. -- Brad Norman
Honorable mention: Phoenix (fall), Miami, Daytona 500
October in Martinsville has evolved into perhaps the most high-stakes race of the season … other than Miami, of course. It's the first race of the Round of 8, and the first time drivers can officially lock up a spot in the Championship 4. Martinsville takes this category (although in transparency, it won via tiebreaker with Phoenix-2) because of both its incredible close-quarters racing and its potential long-lasting impact as the place where the Chase Elliott-Denny Hamlin rivalry began. -- Brad Norman
Honorable mention: Phoenix (fall), Miami, Daytona 500
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Driver of the Year: Martin Truex Jr.
Some superlative categories are just slam-dunks. Furniture Row Racing's Martin Truex Jr. rolled up a series-best eight victories on the way to his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. He also paced the circuit in laps led, top-five and top-10 finishes, average start and average finish -- a statistical tour de force that made Truex a unanimous pick among the NASCAR.com staff. -- Zack Albert
Honorable Mention: Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson
Some superlative categories are just slam-dunks. Furniture Row Racing's Martin Truex Jr. rolled up a series-best eight victories on the way to his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. He also paced the circuit in laps led, top-five and top-10 finishes, average start and average finish -- a statistical tour de force that made Truex a unanimous pick among the NASCAR.com staff. -- Zack Albert
Honorable Mention: Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson