While NASCAR’s supposed controversialist, Denny Hamlin made quite the impression the past season, he still seems to be no match for Dale Earnhardt‘s aura and the influence he has on the community. Well, just to put things into a simple perspective, “The Intimidator’s” merchandise and goodies are still selling out like hotcakes, solidifying his status as the community’s favorite. A recent post by Adam Stern is a perfect example of this. Sharing the trackside sale reports of 2023, Stern tweeted out the top 15 rankings which included the late great and his son, Dale Jr, above Hamlin and his driver, Wallace.

NASCAR trackside sales – Denny Hamlin loses out to Dale Earnhardt while Bubba Wallace fails to even make the list

For hardcore NASCAR fans, Dale Earnhardt is not just a name but the embodiment of grit and charisma of the good old days of the sport that still shines brightly in the back of the minds. Posters of the #3 Jet black Chevy or the 7-time Cup Series champion in his driver’s seat still is and will be in every NASCAR fan’s room, stretched along the walls in remembrance of the late driver’s glory days.

In short, he was the man’s man who was admired by everybody, be it his rivals and haters alike. The man’s popularity was well beyond the ovals during the height of his career and to some extent it still is. Well, to observe the grip he has on the community, one doesn’t have to roll back the years. Just take a look at the recent trackside sale listings where drivers are ranked according to the gross revenue.

Even when Hamlin took over the stage, catching everyone’s attention with his straightforward persona, he was still no match for the late veteran’s aura as Dale Earnhardt’s goodies were sold more than Hamlin’s own, edging the JGR driver to the 13th spot in the top 15 list. On the other hand, while Dale Jr also made the list sitting at the 10th spot, HMS sensation William Byron was pushed to 11th. Interestingly, Hamlin’s 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace was nowhere to be seen in the top tally.

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Chase Elliott dominates merch sales despite a lackluster 2023

If there’s one driver who has rivaled Dale Jr in terms of popularity, it’s definitely NASCAR’s golden boy, Chase Elliott. Elliott dethroned the JR Motorsports co-owner when he broke the veteran’s 15-year streak in 2018 by winning the Cup Series Most Popular Driver Award. Even during his worst phase, fans pledged their unwavering support to the 2020 Cup Series champion, voting him as the most popular driver of 2023, edging out the champion Ryan Blaney and even Kevin Harvick in the process.

However, Elliott has proved once again why he’s the fan favorite as he dominated the trackside sale charts sitting at a comfortable second spot just behind NASCAR, and one spot above his HMS teammate, Kyle Larson.

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The other names in the list included the “Rowdy” Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr at the 4th, 5th, and 6th spots while the Trackhouse Racing sensation, Ross Chastain ranked above the 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney and his teammate Joey Logano.

That being said, the mind always wonders back to Dale Earnhardt’s superiority as the driver stays omnipresent in fans’ hearts and on the merch sale list!