The nominees have been announced for the 38th edition of the Autosport Awards, and you can be part of it by participating in The Fan Vote. NASCAR has a presence across the list of nominees, which we will highlight below:
Rookie of the Year
Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images
Two NASCAR drivers were nominated for the ‘Rookie of the Year’ category, with Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch making the cut. The Trackhouse teammates were incredibly impressive this year in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, respectively.
Van Gisbergen won five races as a rookie in the Cup Series, which is a new record. These victories were part of a historic streak as he won five consecutive road/street course events, made the NASCAR playoffs, and placed 12th in the championship standings. Only Denny Hamlin won more races than SVG. The Kiwi also made notable improvements on ovals as he learned the uniquely NASCAR craft, scoring his first top ten near the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Zilisch was a dominant force in the Xfinity Series, winning ten races with JR Motorsports, which included an incredible run in the summer where he was victorious in seven of eight races he entered. He made it all the way to the Championship 4, and narrowly missed out on the crown in the one-race finale. The teenager also led the entire series in wins, top fives, top tens, poles, and average finish.
Team of the Year
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images
While Joe Gibbs Racing led the Cup Series in race wins, it was Hendrick Motorsports who hoisted the Bill France Cup in the end. HMS was nominated alongside several other titans of motorsport after securing their 15th championship in the last 31 seasons, ending the three-year reign of Team Penske. Two of the four title finalists came from Hendrick Motorsports, and all four of their drivers made the playoffs. The legendary team managed to win eight races, which included the sport’s crown jewel event as William Byron went back-to-back in the Daytona 500.
Moment of the Year
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford
Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Presented by Bahrain International Circuit, NASCAR was nominated as one of the moments of the year as well. When a late-race caution pushed the Phoenix finale into overtime, crew chief Cliff Daniels made the call to take just two right-side tires for the second straight pit stop, netting the No. 5 car some track position. Larson then gained ground on the pivotal restart, finishing third and winning the championship without even having to lead a single lap in the title showdown.
Creator of the Year
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images
In the category celebrating the top creators of the year, NASCAR YouTuber Eric Estepp was among those who made the list. His commentary channel on the sport has amassed over 250,000 subscribers, and his content consistently garners tens of thousands of views. Starting out as a diecast stop-motion channel about 14 years ago, he has become a new and unique way for NASCAR fans to engage with the top level of stock car racing, and has established himself as a must-watch channel for many fans.
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