NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award

NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award is awarded to the most popular NASCAR driver in the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Craftsman Truck Series every year since 1956. It started as a poll of the drivers and then all NASCAR Cup Series competitors; today, it is voted for by fans across the United States.

The award is presented by the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA). Sponsored by Hamburger Helper in 2010, it was also sponsored by Wheaties in 2011. The ceremony presenting the award is called the NASCAR Awards Banquet, and it is held in Nashville, Tennessee in November of each year.

The winner of the most awards is Bill Elliott with 16 in the NASCAR Cup Series. Justin Allgaier has the most with five awards in the Xfinity Series, and Johnny Benson Jr. & Hailie Deegan have the most awards at three in the Craftsman Truck Series.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has the second-most awards (15) and holds the longest streak, winning the award in 2003 and every year until his retirement in 2017.{{cite web|last=Wilhelm|first=Chase|url=http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/dale-earnhardt-jr-wins-nascars-most-popular-driver-reveals-wedding-date-120216|title=Dale Jr. wins NASCAR's Most Popular Driver, reveals wedding date|work=Foxsports.com|date=December 2, 2016|accessdate=December 2, 2016}}{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2017/11/30/earnhardt-wins-most-popular-for-15th-year/108178860/|title=Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins NASCAR Most Popular Driver award for 15th time|newspaper=USA Today|date=November 30, 2017|accessdate=December 2, 2017|author-link=Associated Press}}

Recipients

=Cup Series=

File:Bill Elliott Champion 1985.jpg has the most Most Popular Driver Awards in the Cup Series with 16.]]

class="wikitable" ! Year ! Driver ! Team ! Notes
1949 \| Curtis Turner \| Hubert Westmoreland, Curtis Turner, Frank Christian \| Voted on by a panel
1950 \| rowspan=2 colspan=3 align=center\| Not awarded
1951
1952 \| rowspan=3\| Lee Petty \| rowspan=2\| Petty Enterprises \| rowspan=4\| National award, covering every NASCAR series. Lee Petty won the series championship in 1954.
1953
1954 \| Petty Enterprises, Gary Drake
1955 \| Tim Flock \| Carl Kiekhaefer, Hubert Westmoreland
1956 \| Curtis Turner \| Charlie Schwam \|
1957 \| Fireball Roberts \| Pete DePaolo, Fireball Roberts, Dick Beaty, Buck Baker \|
1958 \| Glen Wood \| Wood Brothers Racing \|
1959 \| Jack Smith \| Jack Smith \|
1960 \| Rex White \| Beau Morgan, Rex White, Scotty Cain, L. D. Austin \| Won the series championship
1961 \| Joe Weatherly \| Doc White, Bud Moore Engineering, Elmo Henderson \|
1962 \| Richard Petty \| Petty Enterprises \|
1963 \| Fred Lorenzen \| Holman-Moody, Wood Brothers Racing, Stewart McKinney \|
1964 \| Richard Petty \| Petty Enterprises \| Won the series championship. Won that season's Daytona 500.
1965 \| Fred Lorenzen \| Holman-Moody \| Won that season's Daytona 500.
1966 \| Darel Dieringer \| Toy Bolton, Bud Moore Engineering, Petty Enterprises, Reid Shaw, Betty Lilly, Junior Johnson & Associates \|
1967 \| Cale Yarborough \| Wood Brothers Racing, Neil Castles, Bud Moore Engineering \|
1968 \| Richard Petty \| Petty Enterprises \|
1969 \| Bobby Isaac \| Nord Krauskopf \|
1970 \| Richard Petty \| Petty Enterprises \|
1971 \| rowspan=3\| Bobby Allison \| Bobby Allison, Holman-Moody
1972 \| Richard Howard \|
1973 \| Bobby Allison \|
1974 \| rowspan=5\| Richard Petty \| rowspan=5\| Petty Enterprises \| Won the series championship. Won that season's Daytona 500.
1975 \| Won the season championship.
1976 \|
1977 \|
1978 \|
1979 \| David Pearson \| Wood Brothers Racing, Rod Osterlund \| Part time driver
1980 \| rowspan=4\| Bobby Allison \| Bud Moore Engineering \|
1981 \| Ranier-Lundy \|
1982 \| rowspan=2\| DiGard Motorsports \| Won that season's Daytona 500.
1983 \| Won the series championship
1984 \| rowspan=5\| Bill Elliott \| rowspan=5\| Melling Racing \|
1985 \| Won that season's Daytona 500
1986 \|
1987 \| Won that season's Daytona 500.
1988 \| Won the series championship
1989 \| rowspan=2\| Darrell Waltrip \| rowspan=2\| Hendrick Motorsports \| Won that season's Daytona 500
1990 \| Missed six races due to injuries.
1991 \| rowspan=10\| Bill Elliott \| Melling Racing \|
1992 \| rowspan=3\| Junior Johnson & Associates \|
1993 \|
1994 \|
1995 \| rowspan=6\| Bill Elliott Racing \|
1996 \| Missed seven races due to injuries.
1997 \|
1998 \| Missed one race due to the death of his father.
1999 \|
2000 \| Missed two races due to injuries.
2001 \| Dale Earnhardt \| Richard Childress Racing \| Awarded posthumously. Perennial winner Bill Elliott withdrew his name from the 2001 ballot to encourage his supporters to posthumously vote for Earnhardt.
2002 \| Bill Elliott \| Evernham Motorsports \| Withdrew his own name from future ballots following this year
2003 \| rowspan=15\| Dale Earnhardt Jr. \| rowspan=5\| Dale Earnhardt, Inc. \|
2004 \| Won that season's Daytona 500.
2005 \|
2006 \|
2007 \|
2008 \| rowspan="17" \| Hendrick Motorsports \|
2009 \|
2010 \|
2011 \|
2012 \| Missed two races due to injury.
2013 \|
2014 \| Won that season's Daytona 500.
2015 \|
2016 \| Missed final 18 races due to injury.
2017 \|
2018 \| rowspan="7" \| Chase Elliott \| Won first three career races at Watkins Glen, Dover 2, and Kansas 2.
2019 \|
2020 \| Won the series championship
2021 \|
2022 \| Won the regular season championship
2023 \| Missed seven races, six due to injury and one due to suspension for on-track conduct
2024 \|

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Driver

! Team

! Notes

1949

| Curtis Turner

| Hubert Westmoreland, Curtis Turner, Frank Christian

| Voted on by a panel

1950

| rowspan=2 colspan=3 align=center| Not awarded

1951

1952

| rowspan=3| Lee Petty

| rowspan=2| Petty Enterprises

| rowspan=4| National award, covering every NASCAR series.
Lee Petty won the series championship in 1954.

1953

1954

| Petty Enterprises, Gary Drake

1955

| Tim Flock

| Carl Kiekhaefer, Hubert Westmoreland

| Pete DePaolo, Fireball Roberts, Dick Beaty, Buck Baker

1958

| Glen Wood

| Wood Brothers Racing

| Beau Morgan, Rex White, Scotty Cain, L. D. Austin

| Won the series championship

1961

| Joe Weatherly

| Doc White, Bud Moore Engineering, Elmo Henderson

| Holman-Moody, Wood Brothers Racing, Stewart McKinney

1964

| Richard Petty

| Petty Enterprises

| Won the series championship.
Won that season's Daytona 500.

1965

| Fred Lorenzen

| Holman-Moody

| Won that season's Daytona 500.

1966

| Darel Dieringer

| Toy Bolton, Bud Moore Engineering, Petty Enterprises,
Reid Shaw, Betty Lilly, Junior Johnson & Associates

1967

| Cale Yarborough

| Wood Brothers Racing, Neil Castles, Bud Moore Engineering

| rowspan=3| Bobby Allison

| Bobby Allison, Holman-Moody

| Bobby Allison

| rowspan=5| Richard Petty

| rowspan=5| Petty Enterprises

| Won the series championship.
Won that season's Daytona 500.

1975

| Won the season championship.

| Wood Brothers Racing, Rod Osterlund

| Part time driver

1980

| rowspan=4| Bobby Allison

| Bud Moore Engineering

1981

| Ranier-Lundy

1982

| rowspan=2| DiGard Motorsports

| Won that season's Daytona 500.

1983

| Won the series championship

1984

| rowspan=5| Bill Elliott

| rowspan=5| Melling Racing

1985

| Won that season's Daytona 500

1986

1987

| Won that season's Daytona 500.

1988

| Won the series championship

1989

| rowspan=2| Darrell Waltrip

| rowspan=2| Hendrick Motorsports

| Won that season's Daytona 500

1990

| Missed six races due to injuries.

1991

| rowspan=10| Bill Elliott

| Melling Racing

1992

| rowspan=3| Junior Johnson & Associates

1993

1994

1995

| rowspan=6| Bill Elliott Racing

1996

| Missed seven races due to injuries.

1997

1998

| Missed one race due to the death of his father.

1999

2000

| Missed two races due to injuries.

2001

| Dale Earnhardt

| Richard Childress Racing

| Awarded posthumously. Perennial winner Bill Elliott withdrew his name from the 2001 ballot to encourage his supporters to posthumously vote for Earnhardt.

2002

| Bill Elliott

| Evernham Motorsports

| Withdrew his own name from future ballots following this year

2003

| rowspan=15| Dale Earnhardt Jr.

| rowspan=5| Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

2004

| Won that season's Daytona 500.

| rowspan="17" | Hendrick Motorsports

| Missed two races due to injury.

2013

2014

| Won that season's Daytona 500.

2015

2016

| Missed final 18 races due to injury.

2017

2018

| rowspan="7" | Chase Elliott

| Won first three career races at Watkins Glen, Dover 2, and Kansas 2.

2019

2020

| Won the series championship

2021

2022

| Won the regular season championship

2023

| Missed seven races, six due to injury and one due to suspension for on-track conduct

2024

=Xfinity Series=

File:Justin Allgaier Sonoma 2023.jpg has the most Most Popular Driver Awards in the Xfinity Series with 5.]]

class="wikitable" ! Year ! Driver ! Team ! Notes
1982 \| Jack Ingram \| Ingram Racing \| Won the series championship
1983 \| rowspan=2\| Sam Ard \| rowspan=4\| Thomas Brothers Racing \| rowspan=2\| Won the series championship
1984
1985 \| Jimmy Hensley \|
1986 \| Brett Bodine \|
1987 \| Jimmy Hensley \| Sam Ard Racing \|
1988 \| Larry Pearson \| Pearson Racing \|
1989 \| Rob Moroso \| Moroso Racing \| Won the series championship
1990 \| Bobby Labonte \| Labonte Motorsports \|
1991 \| Kenny Wallace \| Rusty Wallace Racing \|
1992 \| rowspan=2\| Joe Nemechek \| rowspan=2\| NEMCO Motorsports \| Won the series championship
1993 \|
1994 \| Kenny Wallace \| FILMAR Racing \|
1995 \| Chad Little \| Mark Rypien Motorsports \|
1996 \| David Green \| American Equipment Racing \|
1997 \| Mike McLaughlin \| Frank Cicci Racing \|
1998 \| Buckshot Jones \| Buckshot Racing \|
1999 \| Dale Earnhardt Jr. \| rowspan=2\| Dale Earnhardt, Inc. \| Won the series championship
2000 \| Ron Hornaday Jr. \|
2001 \| Kevin Harvick \| Richard Childress Racing \| Won the series championship
2002 \| Greg Biffle \| Roush Racing \| Won the series championship
2003 \| Scott Riggs \| ppc Racing \|
2004 \| rowspan=2\| Martin Truex Jr. \| rowspan=2\| Chance 2 Motorsports \| rowspan=2\| Won the series championship
2005
2006 \| Kenny Wallace \| ppc Racing \|
2007 \| Carl Edwards \| Roush Fenway Racing \| Won the series championship
2008 \| rowspan=3\| Brad Keselowski \| rowspan=2\| JR Motorsports \|
2009 \|
2010 \| Penske Racing \| Won the series championship
2011 \| Elliott Sadler \| Kevin Harvick Incorporated \|
2012 \| Danica Patrick \| rowspan="13" \|JR Motorsports \| The first female driver to win the Xfinity Series MPD. The first female driver to win the MPD award overall.
2013 \| Regan Smith \|
2014 \| rowspan=2\| Chase Elliott \| Won the series championship
2015 \|
2016 \| rowspan=3\| Elliott Sadler \|
2017 \|
2018 \|
2019 \| rowspan="3" \| Justin Allgaier \|
2020 \|
2021 \|
2022 \|Noah Gragson \|
2023 \| rowspan="2" \| Justin Allgaier \|
2024 \| Won the series championship

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Driver

! Team

! Notes

1982

| Jack Ingram

| Ingram Racing

| Won the series championship

1983

| rowspan=2| Sam Ard

| rowspan=4| Thomas Brothers Racing

| rowspan=2| Won the series championship

| Won the series championship

1990

| Bobby Labonte

| Labonte Motorsports

1991

| Kenny Wallace

| Rusty Wallace Racing

1992

| rowspan=2| Joe Nemechek

| rowspan=2| NEMCO Motorsports

| Won the series championship

| Mark Rypien Motorsports

1996

| David Green

| American Equipment Racing

| rowspan=2| Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

| Won the series championship

| Richard Childress Racing

| Won the series championship

2002

| Greg Biffle

| Roush Racing

| Won the series championship

| rowspan=2| Martin Truex Jr.

| rowspan=2| Chance 2 Motorsports

| rowspan=2| Won the series championship

| Roush Fenway Racing

| Won the series championship

2008

| rowspan=3| Brad Keselowski

| rowspan=2| JR Motorsports

2009

2010

| Penske Racing

| Won the series championship

2011

| Elliott Sadler

| Kevin Harvick Incorporated

2012

| Danica Patrick

| rowspan="13" |JR Motorsports

| The first female driver to win the Xfinity Series MPD.
The first female driver to win the MPD award overall.

2013

| Regan Smith

2014

| rowspan=2| Chase Elliott

| Won the series championship

2015

2016

| rowspan=3| Elliott Sadler

2017

2018

2019

| rowspan="3" | Justin Allgaier

| rowspan="2" | Justin Allgaier

2024

| Won the series championship

=Craftsman Truck Series=

{{multiple image

| align = right

| direction = horizontal

| total_width = 300

| image1 = Johnny Benson Cheerios (cropped).jpg

| image2 = Hailie Deegan Las Vegas 2023.jpg

| footer = Johnny Benson Jr. (left) and Hailie Deegan (right) are tied for Most Popular Driver Awards in the Truck Series with three.

}}

class="wikitable" ! Year ! Driver ! Team ! Notes
1995 \| Butch Miller \| Liberty Racing \|
1996 \| Jimmy Hensley \| Grandaddy Racing \|
1997 \| Ron Hornaday Jr. \| Dale Earnhardt, Inc. \|
1998 \| Stacy Compton \| Impact Motorsports \|
1999 \| Dennis Setzer \| K Automotive Racing \|
2000 \| Greg Biffle \| Roush Racing \| Won the series championship
2001 \| Joe Ruttman \| Bobby Hamilton Racing \|
2002 \| David Starr \| Spears Motorsports \|
2003 \| Brendan Gaughan \| rowspan="2" \| Orleans Racing \|
2004 \| Steve Park \|
2005 \| Ron Hornaday Jr. \| Kevin Harvick Incorporated \|
2006 \| rowspan="3" \| Johnny Benson Jr. \| rowspan="3" \| Bill Davis Racing \|
2007 \|
2008 \| Won the series championship
2009 \| Ricky Carmichael \| Kevin Harvick Incorporated, Turner Motorsports \|
2010 \| Narain Karthikeyan \| Wyler Racing \| The first non-American driver to win the award
2011 \| Austin Dillon \| Richard Childress Racing \| Won the series championship
2012 \| Nelson Piquet Jr. \| Turner Motorsports \|First South American winner
2013 \| Ty Dillon \| Richard Childress Racing \|
2014 \| Ryan Blaney \| Brad Keselowski Racing \|
2015 \| John Hunter Nemechek \| SWM-NEMCO Motorsports \|
2016 \| Tyler Reddick \| rowspan="2" \| Brad Keselowski Racing \|
2017 \| Chase Briscoe \|
2018 \| Noah Gragson \| Kyle Busch Motorsports \|
2019 \| Ross Chastain \| Niece Motorsports \|
2020 \| Zane Smith \| GMS Racing \|
2021 \| rowspan="3" \| Hailie Deegan \| rowspan="2" \| David Gilliland Racing \| The first female driver to win the Truck Series MPD. The second female driver to win the MPD overall.
2022 \|
2023 \| ThorSport Racing \|
2024 \|Rajah Caruth \|Spire Motorsports \| The first African American to win the MPD.

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Driver

! Team

! Notes

| Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

| K Automotive Racing

2000

| Greg Biffle

| Roush Racing

| Won the series championship

2001

| Joe Ruttman

| Bobby Hamilton Racing

| rowspan="2" | Orleans Racing

| Kevin Harvick Incorporated

2006

| rowspan="3" | Johnny Benson Jr.

| rowspan="3" | Bill Davis Racing

2007

2008

| Won the series championship

2009

| Ricky Carmichael

| Kevin Harvick Incorporated, Turner Motorsports

2010

| Narain Karthikeyan

| Wyler Racing

| The first non-American driver to win the award

2011

| Austin Dillon

| Richard Childress Racing

| Won the series championship

2012

| Nelson Piquet Jr.

| Turner Motorsports

|First South American winner

2013

| Ty Dillon

| Richard Childress Racing

2014

| Ryan Blaney

| Brad Keselowski Racing

2015

| John Hunter Nemechek

| SWM-NEMCO Motorsports

2016

| Tyler Reddick

| rowspan="2" | Brad Keselowski Racing

| Kyle Busch Motorsports

| rowspan="3" | Hailie Deegan

| rowspan="2" | David Gilliland Racing

| The first female driver to win the Truck Series MPD.
The second female driver to win the MPD overall.

| The first African American to win the MPD.

=Multiple winners=

class="wikitable"

! Driver

! Cup

! Xfinity

! Truck

! Mexico

! Total

Bill Elliott

| 16

| 0

| 16

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

| 15

| 1

| 0

| 16

Richard Petty

| 9

| 0

| 9

Chase Elliott*

| 7

| 2

| 0

| 9

Bobby Allison

| 7

| 0

| 7

Justin Allgaier*

| 0

| 5

| 0

| 5

Elliott Sadler

| 0

| 4

| 0

| 4

Lee Petty

| 3

| 0

| 3

Brad Keselowski*

| 0

| 3

| 0

| 3

Jimmy Hensley

| 0

| 2

| 1

| 0

| 3

Ron Hornaday Jr.

| 0

| 1

| 2

| 0

| 3

Johnny Benson Jr.

| 0

| 3

| 0

| 3

Kenny Wallace

| 0

| 3

| 0

| 3

Hailie Deegan

Fred Lorenzen

| 2

| 0

| 2

Sam Ard

| 0

| 2

| 0

| 2

Joe Nemechek

| 0

| 2

| 0

| 2

Curtis Turner

| 2

| 0

| 2

Martin Truex Jr.

| 0

| 2

| 0

| 2

Greg Biffle

| 0

| 1

| 0

| 2

Noah Gragson*

colspan=6 align=center| * – still active {{as of|2025|lc=y}}

References

External links

[http://racing-reference.info/wc.htm Sprint Cup Series]
[http://racing-reference.info/busch.htm Xfinity Series] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627171118/http://www.racing-reference.info/busch.htm |date=2015-06-27 }}
[http://racing-reference.info/cts.htm Camping World Truck Series] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629100359/http://racing-reference.info/cts.htm |date=2017-06-29 }}
[http://www.wheatiesfuelmostpopulardriver.com Wheaties Fuel Most Popular Driver]