Voting for the only award selected solely by the fans – the Most Popular Driver Award presented by the National Motorsports Press Association – is now open until November 29 and presented on November 30 as a part of the Cup Series banquet.

Fans may vote for their favourite driver in each of the three series once per day at NASCAR.com or via the NASCAR mobile app.

All full time Cup Series drivers are eligible for the award.

First awarded in 1949, the National Motorsports Press Association began presenting the award annually in 1983.

Over the history of the Most Popular driver award, there has been 20 different winners with Curtis Turner earning the inaugural award in 1949.

Bill Elliott – Awesome Bill from Dawsonville – leads with the list of Most Popular Driver Awards with 16.  Dale Earnhardt Jr comes in second with 15.  Since Jr’s retirement in 2017, fellow Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott has won the award.


All time Most Popular Driver Award winners:
Curtis Turner
Lee Petty
Tim Flock
Fireball Roberts
Glen Wood
Jack Smith
Rex White
Joe Weatherly
Richard Petty – 8 times
Fred Lorenzen
Darel Dieringer
Cale Yarborough
Bobby Isaac
Bobby Allison – 6 times
David Pearson
Bill Elliott – 16 times
Darrell Waltrip
Dale Earnhardt Sr. – 2001 – a posthumous award
Dale Earnhardt Jr – 15 times
Chase Elliott – 5 times