[bears9]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Despite a year of personal upheaval and on-track failures, Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains as popular as ever.
Junior was selected the most popular driver for the fifth straight year, drawing more than 1.5 million of the over 3.8 million votes cast online. The award comes after he decided to leave the NASCAR team founded by his late father to join powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports with a new sponsor and a new car number.
After the year I had statistically and off the track, that isn't the response I expected from my fans,'' Earnhardt said Thursday in accepting the honor during a luncheon at which numerous awards and hundreds of thousands of dollars were dispensed by NASCAR and its sponsors.
``Next year, I hope to earn more hardware on the track, too.'' Earnhardt is moving from his signature No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc., Budweiser Chevrolet to a No. 88 Hendrick entry, sponsored by a couple of Pepsi products. He said he has not talked with stepmother Teresa Earnhardt, owner of DEI, since they last faced each other at a meeting during his ill-fated negotiations to stay with the family team.

Fans vote Earnhardt most popular driver

[DOF_power]

But how much of this popularity comes from being himself and his own own achievements vs. having the Dale Earnhart name ?!

Sometimes I think professional sports have becomed superstar search contest businesses as opposed to being sports.

[lilsexy08]

Heck that was a given! LOL! I think he deserves it though. Remember when his father died and it seemed like it was Dale Jr who kept the fans going after that for Nascar so yea I see why it was given to him again and again.

[DOF_power]

Fans should IMO stick to watching a sport even after their favorite is killed or retires, because it's a sport (or should be) and that's why they should be watching it for.
But that's a naive tought, so I'm not kidding myself.

[NASCAR Gnome]

You can't reason with emotion. I said this a few months back when Junior was going through that "changing teams" thing and when his new merchandise came out, that I would love to be a marketing manager involved in selling his stuff because this guy is SOLID GOLD when it comes to fan following!

I was listening to an interview with Juan Montoya and they were talking about drivers getting booed at races and according to JPM, Dale Jr. is the ONLY driver who does not get booed anywhere they go!!! Speaks volumes if you ask me.

Here's a scenario: Dale Jr. wins the championship. Can you imagine what would happen? There would be people in the news who otherwise have absolutely nothing to do with car racing that would rush to get an interview with this guy! If he's this famous now and he hasn't won a title, can you imagine how popular this guy would become if and when he does??? Crazy!

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

But how much of this popularity comes from being himself and his own own achievements vs. having the Dale Earnhart name ?!

Now why, why, why did you have to say that?

Sr. was voted most popular only once, 2001. Ring a bell?

As far back as I can remember, Bill Elliott got the title prior to that. Why? Because he was a good driver AND a gentleman. Jr. also has those qualities.

Jr. has certainly made a name for himself, and I'm tired of people who attribute his popularity and fan base to his father.

What if Kyle Petty won? Would you attribute that to being Richard's son?

[SpaceCadet]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Now why, why, why did you have to say that?

Sr. was voted most popular only once, 2001. Ring a bell?

As far back as I can remember, Bill Elliott got the title prior to that. Why? Because he was a good driver AND a gentleman. Jr. also has those qualities.

Jr. has certainly made a name for himself, and I'm tired of people who attribute his popularity and fan base to his father.

What if Kyle Petty won? Would you attribute that to being Richard's son?

Jr. and many other drivers have Bill Elliott's qualities. And unfortunately, I must agree with DOF. He's not the best or the most gentlemanly driver, but he wins year after year, partially, and I stress partially, due to sentiment. And yes, if Kyle Petty won, it would partially be due to the Petty name. It's not good or bad, it just is what it is. It doesn't make it wrong for Jr. to be voted most popular in part due to is name. I'm not sure why that seems to be such an insult. I think it's a fine tribute to both father and son.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

Jr. and many other drivers have Bill Elliott's qualities. And unfortunately, I must agree with DOF. He's not the best or the most gentlemanly driver, but he wins year after year, partially, and I stress partially, due to sentiment. And yes, if Kyle Petty won, it would partially be due to the Petty name. It's not good or bad, it just is what it is. It doesn't make it wrong for Jr. to be voted most popular in part due to is name. I'm not sure why that seems to be such an insult. I think it's a fine tribute to both father and son.

Well, leave it to you, Space, to get all rational on me!

I just get really annoyed when people insinuate that everything has come to Jr. solely because of his father. I don't believe that. If that were the case, Kerry would be at the track every weekend. I wonder what will happen when, is it Joseph (Sr.'s grandson?), starts to gain a fan base. Will that be because of his namesake?

You know, this "Most Popular Driver" is an interesting thing. First, Elliott wins for years, now it seems Jr. will do the same. What's up with that?

[SpaceCadet]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Well, leave it to you, Space, to get all rational on me!

I just get really annoyed when people insinuate that everything has come to Jr. solely because of his father. I don't believe that. If that were the case, Kerry would be at the track every weekend. I wonder what will happen when, is it Joseph (Sr.'s grandson?), starts to gain a fan base. Will that be because of his namesake?

You know, this "Most Popular Driver" is an interesting thing. First, Elliott wins for years, now it seems Jr. will do the same. What's up with that?

Ok, Penny, if you only knew how completely irrational I am 99% of the time! It's scary. And you know why I think Jr. is the most popular driver? Because he's a very likable guy. I don't think I've met anyone who can't somehow relate to him. He's funny, humble, takes the blame for his own screw ups, and usually seems to keep a fairly level head when under fire during this whole past year. He's grown on me over the last couple years. I would like to see him kick some major butt next year. (My HS English teacher would have a fit - three sentences in a row ending in the same word. She wasn't a racing fan, so she'll never know).

[wingkey1]

Seems/feels like drivers enter the "Boo zone" when there becomes a sense/feeling amongst the sport (not driver) following masses that he/she has begun to win a bit too often/much. When in the B-zone, "most popular driver" seems tougher to realize.

Was interesting to watch Sr. go deep in to the B-zone at one point. Then a notable "dry spell" went on for multiple races spanning seasons. The boos faded notably as the spell stretched on and on. Replaced it seemed/felt by a desire/hope to have not seen the last successes of one who was, love him or hate him, to be recognized as one of the sports best. New breed, young gun drivers were starting to increasingly make up the Sunday field. Increasingly some (Mayfield - Pocono as one example) were moving the too slow "3" out of the way. The boos got replaced by silent hope, then cheers as the "3" got back on track. There's fickle out there in fandom.

"Most Popular" seems not often to be awarded to the dominant or "most often winning" competitors. Feels there is an element/piece in many/most of us that is a desire to see the underdog pull it off.

As much as it would be fun to see Jr. realize a Championship - holding ones' breath on this could result in ones passing out. Seems Jr. could well have multiple more "most populars" in his future. He's not real close to the Boo zone at this point. Remains to be seen if he ever will be.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

But how much of this popularity comes from being himself and his own own achievements vs. having the Dale Earnhart name ?!

Sometimes I think professional sports have becomed superstar search contest businesses as opposed to being sports.

From The Book of Tanner: Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad.

Not even on my best day could I have stated the case better than you did, DOF. Masterful stroke.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Now why, why, why did you have to say that?
Sr. was voted most popular only once, 2001. Ring a bell?
Jr. has certainly made a name for himself, and I'm tired of people who attribute his popularity and fan base to his father.
What if Kyle Petty won? Would you attribute that to being Richard's son?

Junior got, and continues to get. the fan's sympathy vote, Penny. Can you honestly say that, if Sr. hadn't have died in 2001, Junior would have been as popular as his currently is? Maybe you can, and you may well be right, but there is a good argument to be made against your logic.

Junior is an exceptional driver and I think we may have yet to see his potential. All but one of his wins have been hard fought and well earned. We'd never know Junior's potential as long as he was with DEI. Junior, up to now, is kind of like Joe Namath. How good would Joe have been if he would have played under Vince Lombardi instead of that sorry-assed Weeb Eubank?

IRT Kyle... If Richard would have gone to that big pit stop in the sky this season, I think there is a distinct possibility that Kyle would get Most Popular Driver. Thankfully, we'll never know for sure.

Kyle offers us an interesting comparison, Penny. He has never performed as well working in the family business as he did when working outside of it (Wood brothers and Felix Sabates). Maybe that is something we should keep in mind IRT Junior. (I, personally, have never, never, NEVER believed in doing business involving money with family)

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Junior got, and continues to get. the fan's sympathy vote, Penny. Can you honestly say that, if Sr. hadn't have died in 2001, Junior would have been as popular as his currently is? Maybe you can, and you may well be right, but there is a good argument to be made against your logic.

Yes, Bob, I can. "Logic" has nothing to do with it, nor does sympathy.

Does anyone know who was on the voting list for The Most Popular Driver? Who came in 2nd, 3rd, and so on?

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

IRT Kyle... If Richard would have gone to that big pit stop in the sky this season, I think there is a distinct possibility that Kyle would get Most Popular Driver. Thankfully, we'll never know for sure.

Yes, thankfully, we'll never know for sure, but Kyle doesn't have or ever had the fan base Jr. does. And don't even get started on the only reason Jr. has the mass of fans he does is because we lost Sr. And by the way, there were many people who were Sr. haters! I highly doubt they became Jr. fans out of sympathy.

[vincesanity82]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

But how much of this popularity comes from being himself and his own own achievements vs. having the Dale Earnhart name ?!

Sometimes I think professional sports have becomed superstar search contest businesses as opposed to being sports.

going with that same theory why isnt kyle petty the most popular? doesnt quite work that way does it..

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

going with that same theory why isnt kyle petty the most popular? doesnt quite work that way does it..

Lets look at it from the stats point of view. Kyle Petty has been racing for 28 years and has 8 wins. Jr has been racing for 8 years and has 17 wins. I don't care who your Daddy is, 17 wins will and should make you a more popular driver. I like both drivers equally, but I believe, even excluding the fathers, Jr would still beat out Kyle.