As the year enters the final month, Pit Pass Network wants to recognize drivers, races, and moments from 2024. During the Olympic break, the Midseason Awards highlighted the best and worst from the 2024 year to that point. Now, it is time to look at the full season. However, there is going to be a change in how the awards will be done. Instead of the entire crew putting a collective vote to any one award, each member of the Pit Pass Network family will highlight their bests (or worsts) from the 2024 season. There will be 4 categories that will be highlighted in the Pit Pass Network 2024 End of Season Awards. Those categories are:
- Moment of the Year: Good, bad, or ugly, each person’s favorite moment across all series covered by Pit Pass Network
- Race of the Year: Favorite race (from start to finish) from the 2024 season
- Unsung Driver of the Year: While some drivers hog the limelight, this award recognizes a driver each person thinks deserves more credit and respect for his 2024 performance
- Fan Experience of the Year: Each person’s highlight (or low light) of their time at a race track. Does not have to be a national touring series
Now, Pit Pass Network presents the 2024 End of Season Awards.
Zach Adams
Moment of the Year: Ryan Blaney’s Martinsville Late Charge
As a diehard [Ryan] Blaney fan, the Homestead race the week before was an emotional gut punch, as it felt like Blaney gave away his chances at the Championship 4. To then turn around and win at Martinsville was something out of a storybook!
Race of the Year: Ambetter Health 400 (spring Atlanta)
I’ve seen side by side finishes be pretty close but for three cars to all be that close together was something I’d never seen before!
Unsung Driver of the Year: Chase Briscoe
It seemed like [Chase] Briscoe’s team was the only one that didn’t feel like they gave up after SHR announced they were closing their doors. He put together a phenomenal effort at Darlington to win his way into the playoffs and then didn’t just roll over in the playoffs.
Fan Experience of the Year: Charlotte ROVAL
This weekend wins this by a landslide because it was the only weekend I attended! The weekend was amazing though, as I was able to meet and get autographs from Noah Gragson and Carson Hocevar! On top of that, the guests they had on the entertainment stage were funny and intriguing! Lastly, it’s the weekend I finally got to meet another PPN network member, Terra, in person. She has been so helpful to me in my time here and I am very thankful for all that she does!
Andy Coffey
Moment of the Year: The Year of the Finishes
Three of the eight tightest endings in Cup history happened this year. Kansas and Atlanta were awesome.
Race of the Year: Food City 500 (spring Bristol)
It felt like the old days when a tire falling off was important and saving your equipment was just as crucial. The speed might have been slower, but the racing was fantastic.
Unsung Driver of the Year: Carson Hocevar
The kid had speed, and he finished the year strong. He may have ruffled some feathers, but he stayed true to what got him in the Cup Series.
Fan Experience of the Year: NHRA Thunder Valley
The access provided to fans and Bristol’s commitment are both outstanding.
Robert Cwick
Moment of the Year: Multiple 3-Wide Finishes
This is the kind of racing I enjoy and wish it would happen more often.
Race of the Year: Go Bowling at the Glen
Seeing the race in person this year, [I] got to see things TV probably didn’t show.
Unsung Driver of the Year: Grant Enfinger
After returning this season, [Grant Enfinger] took a relatively fresh team with not much time up front and almost won the championship.
Tiffany Faw
Moment of the Year: Chris Buescher Winning at The Glen
After seeing wins slip away multiple times this year, Watkins Glen was special. Besting SVG was icing on the cake!
Race of the Year: Coke Zero Sugar 400
Daytona under the lights, cutoff race for playoffs, multiple leaders, a surprise new winner and the 100th win for the Wood Brothers! What more could you want?
Unsung Driver of the Year: Ty Majeski
The Craftsman Truck Series doesn’t get the coverage it should and the majority of headlines were about [Christian] Eckes and [Corey] Heim. [Ty] Majeski kept his head down all season, battled for wins, and performed at the right time to best all the critics.
Fan Experience of the Year: Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 (playoff Martinsville)
3 different leaders in the final few laps and then watching the mob come down pit road around Taylor Gray as he headed to victory lane to confront [Christian] Eckes. I was in the stands and had no idea what was about to go down. I really thought we might see a brawl in victory lane!
Griffin Fuller
Moment of the Year: SVG/Chris Buescher Battle at The Glen
2024 was the year of close finishes, but seeing two road course aces battle it out on the best road course is something fantastic. Plus, it also demonstrated that no playoffs are required for hard racing for a win.
Race of the Year: AdventHealth 400 (spring Kansas)
From start to finish, this was excellent racing. Yes, the closest finish in NASCAR history helps but there was not a dull moment from green to checkered.
Unsung Driver of the Year: Ryan Sieg
Ryan Sieg almost scored two wins this season in underfunded equipment at intermediate tracks. He consistently ran inside the Top-10 against the big budget teams and he should be recognized more for those accomplishments.
Fan Experience of the Year: Late Night ARCA at Daytona
After ARCA got postponed until after the Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona, the hundreds of people who stayed got to be “entertained’ by all things ARCA, including a first lap wreck that took out most of the notable names.
Cash James
Moment of the Year: 3-Wide Finish at Atlanta
The first time in a long time where a race ending had my heart racing.
Race of the Year: Ambetter Health 400 (spring Atlanta)
Great race all around and the finish was just the cherry on top.
Unsung Driver of the Year: Noah Gragson
Great performance for being early in his Cup career. Plus, he didn’t puke.
Fan Experience of the Year: Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol has always been my favorite track. I’ve never had a bad experience and that didn’t change this year.
Gregory Latham
Moment of the Year: Austin Dillon’s Last Lap Actions at Richmond
This was a big moment as it forced NASCAR to draw lines that they may or may not keep going forward. It really made people question the validity of this points system.
Race of the Year: Southern 500
Stewart-Haas Racing’s final Cup Series win
Unsung Driver of the Year: Carson Hocevar
He performed well enough to best Josh Berry (who had Rodney Childers as a crew chief) in the 4 car for Rookie of the Year. The focus was always on his aggression, which actually makes his ROTY victory even more impressive.
Fan Experience of the Year: CARS Tour Doubleheader at North Wilkesboro
It was a very cool event. It was great to watch [Kevin] Harvick on the track, and he signed autographs for the fans.
Mark Matthews
Moment of the Year: Joey Logano Outlasts the Field at Nashville
A pivotal moment in the regular season because [Joey] Logano wouldn’t have made the playoffs by points. Also, the drama at the end of the race with Logano surviving on fuel.
Race of the Year: Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Homestead)
The overall racing was entertaining to watch as drivers slipped and slid on the high lane and there were many comers and goers. [Tyler] Reddick came back after a timely caution came out, launching him from a lap down to the lead. Then, he had an epic last turn pass over [Ryan] Blaney after starting the final lap in the 3rd place.
Unsung Driver of the Year: Tyler Ankrum
[Tyler Ankrum] made the playoffs for the first time since 2020. He beat his season personal best of Top-5s, going from a best of 3 to doubling it to 6. Also, he led the points for the first 4 races of the season.
Fan Experience of the Year: The Great American Getaway 400 (Pocono)
[Ryan] Blaney winning at Pocono for first time since his first career win in 2017.
Daniel Smith
Moment of the Year: Kyle Larson’s Historic Win at Kansas
Kyle Larson is my favorite driver and I remember watching that finish, being disappointed while also thinking “wow that was a good finish”. Then finding out he did end up winning was crazy, the finish is my phone background so yeah I’d say that’s my favorite moment.
Race of the Year: The Loop 110 (Chicago Street Course)
I enjoyed this race because there was no clear favorite, especially at the beginning as Larson and SVG kept passing each other. Then watching both have to come through the field and SVG doing so to win. It was really good from start to finish.
Unsung Driver of the Year: Carson Hocevar
[Carson] Hocevar doesn’t receive much credit for anything (especially from Jeff Burton) and is always on the blame end of everything he’s involved in. But really he did good with a team that’s not done too well yet and won ROY.
Fan Experience of the Year: ARCA West race at Madera Speedway
The whole night was awesome, from meeting the drivers prerace at their cars and getting autographs, candy, and a bracelet from Trevor Huddleston. Then the race was amazing and Huddleston ended up winning in a close finish. Then [Sean] Hingorani (who finished 2nd) was all mad about the way it ended and got booed by the crowd during his interview. It was overall awesome.
Jane Waldop
Moment of the Year: Chase Briscoe Wins the Southern 500
It was the last possible moment for a SHR driver to ever make the Cup Playoffs. It took the team in a new direction for a few weeks, focusing on finishing the season with effort rather than just phoning it in for the duration of the company.
Race of the Year: Southern 500
Chase Briscoe won there. Also, the only memorable race for me that wasn’t memorable for being awful.
Unsung Driver of the Year: Kyle Busch
He has not had a good strong Cup season in a while, but he continued to show up and do his best with what he has. I hope 2025 is a much better year for him; I don’t think he’s hit his peak yet.
Fan Experience of the Year: GEICO 500 (spring Talladega)
It was a cold and rainy morning that Sunday, but Chase Briscoe was out doing his meet & greet anyway. Carter got to hang out with him for a few minutes, get his 2022 Phoenix win 1:24 autographed, and get a picture together.
Marvin Wingfield
Moment of the Year: Joey Logano Winning the Cup Championship
This system rewards nothing that should represent the best driver in the sport. Joey Logano is the perfect champion to highlight that fact.
Race of the Year: AdventHealth 400 (spring Kansas)
Kyle Larson winning the closest finish in NASCAR history was amazing.
Unsung Driver of the Year: Tyler Reddick
Bubba Wallace struggled in the same equipment that [Tyler] Reddick won the regular season [championship] with. He looks so good in equipment that Wallace struggles in.
Fan Experience of the Year: Yellawood 500 (playoff Talladega)
Talladega is always a great race and crowd of NASCAR fans.
