To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is still the most popular driver in NASCAR.
The driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was awarded the NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award by the National Motorsports Press Association for the 14th consecutive season, extending the current record for longest streak by any driver in the sport. Only NASCAR Hall of Fame member Bill Elliott has more with 16.
The winner of the award is entirely determined by a fan vote, and he said it was rather touching that he won the award given that he missed the final 18 races of the 2016 season after being diagnosed with symptoms of a concussion that stemmed from a wreck he suffered in June at Michigan International Speedway.
“This year was a difficult year for us and our team,” Earnhardt said. “You think you know just how incredible the NASCAR fans are and how supportive they are. You see them support the drivers through victories and through defeat. But when you go through recovery from an injury or maybe the loss of a loved one or something like that, you really get to the core of what’s great about our fan base.
“I want to thank the fans for all the support and all the well-wishes. It really motivated me to get healthy and it also motivated me to come back.
“I’m looking forward to next year.”
