Just as NASCAR® launches its playoff season this week, so does the campaign for the NASCAR National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Wheaties FUEL® Most Popular Driver. Voting for the full field of drivers ended September 10 and only the 10 drivers with the most votes remain to battle it out for the title of 2011’s Most Popular Driver.
The 10 finalists are, in alphabetical order: Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart.
The “playoffs” now begin. Vote totals are reset to zero and fans have 10 race weeks to cast their vote once a day at www.wheatiesfuelmostpopulardriver.com to determine the winner from the final 10 drivers. Voting will conclude November 20 at 11:59 PM CT and the winner will be announced at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon in December.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. collected his eighth consecutive Most Popular Driver award at the end of the 2010 campaign, joining Bill Elliott as the only drivers to win the award eight years straight. Elliott holds the record for most consecutive Most Popular Driver wins with 10, and he also holds the record for total wins with 16. He removed himself from voting after earning the honor the 16th time.
“The playoff season in any sport is when it really gets intense, and I think we’re going to see the same thing with our online vote,” said Betsy Frost, Wheaties FUEL Marketing Manager. “Once fans know that their guy has a shot at the title, they’re really going to step it up, making sure to vote every day and campaigning amongst their friends and family to get even more votes for their favorite driver.”
