The nominees for the 38th Autosport Awards have been revealed, and fans now have the chance to cast their votes. NASCAR features prominently among the contenders, which we’ll explore below.
In the Rookie of the Year category, two NASCAR drivers, Shane Van Gisbergen and Connor Girish, have been nominated. Both Trackhouse teammates showed impressive performances in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, respectively. Van Gisbergen set a rookie record with five Cup Series wins, including an unprecedented streak of five consecutive victories on road and street courses. He qualified for the NASCAR playoffs and finished 12th in the championship, with only Denny Hamlin securing more wins. Van Gisbergen also improved his oval racing skills, achieving his first top-10 finish late in the season. Girish dominated the Xfinity Series, securing 10 wins for JR Motorsports, highlighted by winning seven of eight summer races entered. He made it to the Championship 4 but narrowly missed winning the title. Girish led the series across several key stats: wins, top fives, top tens, pole positions, and average finish.
The Team of the Year accolade includes Hendrick Motorsports, who clinched the Bill France Cup after capturing their 15th championship in 31 seasons, ending Team Penske’s three-year dominance. Despite Joe Gibbs Racing leading the Cup Series in race wins, Hendrick boasted four playoff drivers, two of whom were finalists for the title. The team notched eight victories, including William Byron’s back-to-back Daytona 500 wins, the sport’s most prestigious event.
One of the year’s unforgettable moments was NASCAR’s Bahrain International Circuit event. A late caution during the Phoenix finale pushed the race into overtime, where crew chief Cliff Daniels opted for only right-side tires during two pit stops. This strategy secured track position for Kyle Larson, who surged forward on a critical restart to finish third and clinch the championship without leading a lap in the decisive race.
For Creator of the Year, NASCAR YouTuber Eric Estep earned a nomination thanks to his sports commentary channel, which boasts over 250,000 subscribers and consistently high viewership. What began as a diecast stop-motion venture nearly 14 years ago has evolved into an innovative platform for NASCAR fans to engage with top-tier stock car racing, becoming a must-watch channel within the community.
Fan Take: This year’s Autosport Awards highlight the rising talent and strong teams shaping NASCAR’s future, emphasizing the sport’s evolving competitiveness and appeal. For fans, the blend of record-setting rookies, powerhouse teams, and innovative creators offers exciting prospects and renewed enthusiasm for the next season.
