NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Award Should Go Away
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. picked up his 12th straight Most Popular Driver Award as part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards show, which aired Friday night on Fox Sports 1. Junior’s 12th award inches him a bit closer to Bill Elliott, who holds the record at 16 Most Popular Driver awards, but really, who cares?
The award started being handed out in 1956 and has been given to 17 different drivers in the years since. But the thought from here is that it’s about time to absorb the award for good.
For starters, anyone who tunes into any race, takes note of his massive amount of advertising, or pays any attention to national coverage already knows that Earnhardt Jr. is NASCAR’s most popular driver. The NBA doesn’t give LeBron James an award for being the most talked-about player, and really, what’s the difference? Just rename it the Redundancy Award.
Second, there is no direct correlation between the Most Popular Driver Award and on-track success. True, Richard Petty won six awards, three-time champion Darrell Waltrip won twice and even Dale Earnhardt Sr. won once, but drivers like six-time champ Jimmie Johnson, four-time champ Jeff Gordon and three-time champ Tony Stewart have no Most Popular Driver Awards in their respective trophy cases. And you know what — they probably don’t mind.
In fact, it’s usually the sport’s most hated drivers who accumulate the most success. The fact that Earnhardt Sr. only won one award over his distinguished career speaks to that truth. Ditto Gordon, Stewart and Johnson, who have combined to dominate the sport over the past 15-20 years.
Sure, it’s great to be loved, but Junior can feel that love through his t-shirt sales and the massive roar on race day anytime his No. 88 is near the front of the pack. He hardly needs an award for it.
Ryan Pritt is a NASCAR writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @RPritt, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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