Most Popular Driver

[LMITOUT]

LAS VEGAS -- Despite struggles on the track, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won NASCAR's most popular driver award for the eighth straight year.

The award was presented to the Hendrick Motorsports driver during Thursday's National Motorsports Press Association Myers Brothers luncheon at the Bellagio.

Earnhardt is closing in on the record 10 straight most popular driver awards won by Bill Elliott from 1991 to 2000. Elliott is the all-time winner of the award with 16, followed by Richard Petty with 10, Earnhardt with eight and Bobby Allison with seven.

[harvey lee]

Filling his pockets. Whether Jr does good on the track makes no difference in how popular. My bet, he breaks he record.

[jwhjr]

Sad since he can't seem to win a race, but I can't say that I'm surprised.

[harvey lee]

I knew that would pop up. Many driver's do not win races for a few seasons stretch. Heck, Jeff Gordon just went through a long non winning stretch not that long ago.

It can happen to any driver.

[gregg52]

ya he but hes top 5 in points most of the time hes on camra after most races

the only time jr gets on

is if he happens to get a top 10 and they need to fill time....lol

or if he's in a crash....lol

he's no spring chicken any more either

[spearchucker]

I knew that would pop up. Many driver's do not win races for a few seasons stretch. Heck, Jeff Gordon just went through a long non winning stretch not that long ago.

It can happen to any driver.

JR has never had a season in his career (short of the Busch series) close to one of Gordon's best seasons. Gordon hasn't dominated the last few years, but look back to the late 90's and early 2000's. JR has never been near that level.

[gregg52]

exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

he's not even close to the 24 in his off yrs....lol

jr has how many wins 17-18

the 24 had 11 in one season

[Harmonica Bear]

Wow---- the award is for the most popular driver, not the best driver. like or not Jr = cool. Gordon = _________ fill in your best disparaging remark.

[gregg52]

ya you cant dispute his populaity for sure

i dont have nothing against the guy

he's funny to listen to on the radio during a race specially restricter plate racing

but i think spearchucker is saying you cant compare his talent to the 24

he's one of the greats kid..thats what I see

and seldom do they live up to the father

davey allison might have been one that coulda but look at the others k petty

dale j..terry labonte...mark m..rusty w...none of these guys kids followed

or could make and all tried....one thing i do believe is if the ole man was still around jr would be doing ALOT better

would any of those kids been as popular..no wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

not even if they won 15 races a yr

even if you compared him to elliott

bill won lots of races and championship

popular is popular

talent is talent

where do you draw the line and say somes one a good driver compared to a

great driver

i 'd say when you start to great into the over 50 wins

[spearchucker]

Wow---- the award is for the most popular driver, not the best driver. like or not Jr = cool. Gordon = _________ fill in your best disparaging remark.

I'm not a JR hater or a Gordon lover, I just call them as I see it. If I had to hire someone to win a race I would hire Gordon, and if I had to hire a guy to win a popularity contest, I would hire JR.

It goes right in line with everything in this country lately by rewarding failure, but that is getting a little off topic.

[harvey lee]

I get a kick out of calling someone a failure when they have won a Busch championship and runs in NASCAR.

What have you done in the last 5-7 years? I hope you have done more than what Jr has and I am sure you may not be quite as filthy rich as that failure Jr.

LOL.

[gregg52]

i 've done alot in the past 5-7 yrs

but i'm not FLITHY rich

but then i'm not Dale Earnhardt's kid either

[spearchucker]

I get a kick out of calling someone a failure when they have won a Busch championship and runs in NASCAR.

What have you done in the last 5-7 years? I hope you have done more than what Jr has and I am sure you may not be quite as filthy rich as that failure Jr.

LOL.

I never called JR a failure, I simply stated that Gordon has had a better career so far. I give him credit for winning a Busch series championship and I still get ripped? Is he your son or what? No need to start personal attacks against me.

[harvey lee]

Seems the post I responded to is now gone.

When I responded to the post in question, I said that Gordon has also went sometime without a win. That's all I stated, I do not believe I tried to say that Jr was as good as Jeff.

Please show me where I even faintly stated that Jr was as good as Jeff!!

By no means was I trying to slam you.

[spearchucker]

Seems the post I responded to is now gone.

When I responded to the post in question, I said that Gordon has also went sometime without a win. That's all I stated, I do not believe I tried to say that Jr was as good as Jeff.

Please show me where I even faintly stated that Jr was as good as Jeff!!

By no means was I trying to slam you.

[harvey lee]

Spear, no slam at you at all. I do not know where a post or two went as the posts are not what they were.

I would never state that Jr is as good as Jeff nor will he more than likely ever be.

There was a post really calling Jr a loser and I replied to that. Where that post went I have no idea.

I believe it was a reply to another poster and I placed your name by mistake. The post was there and it was not very fair to Jr. Post stated that Jr has really done nothing and went on from there. That's the missing post.

Let's move on and I am sorry if I offended you in any way. It was not meant that way at all.

[spearchucker]

Don't worry about it...

[jigginjim]

It seems Jr. is still riding the coat tails of dale Sr. He really needs to start get his act together, or he'll be listed as the most followed, winning a peoples favorite. But not really earn the rating for his driving, only his name.

[LMITOUT]

Two Busch series championships and a handful of appearances in the Chase.

Daddy's coattails have long disappeared.

[harvey lee]

I believe that most want Jr to win 2-3 championships before he will be considered ok.

I do believe he has better finishes then half the field evenly doing as poorly as he has as of late.

He or next to no one else will ever do what Daddy did. Maybe not even JJ. Many thought Gordon would pass Sr with championships but that looks like it will not happen.

[SledNeck]

I do believe he has better finishes then half the field evenly doing as poorly as he has as of late.

But take into consideration this when talking about the competition (To be fair from a money/equipment standpoint)

the top 4 teams (financially) are

Hendrick

Roush

RCR

Gibbs

In the final standings Dale Jr.finshed behind every single driver on all those teams (PLUS stewart-haas) besides 1 guy (David Ragan). Joey Logano even finished higher than Dale Jr.

Thats telling of how he is as a driver based on how well he runs against his financial equals (i use that term as a ballpark figure..BIG ballpark)

[harvey lee]

It just continues. If your not as good as daddy, then you are no good and the worst.

[gregg52]

as sledneck stated

the proof is in the pudding yr after yr

i dont he's bad driver

i think he a average driver

in the matt k ryan n biffle catagory

dont think he's up there with

tony s jj mark m jeff g both bushes edwards etc etc

those guys win multiply races in multiply yrs

[harvey lee]

"In the final standings Dale Jr.finshed behind every single driver on all those teams (PLUS stewart-haas) besides 1 guy (David Ragan). Joey Logano even finished higher than Dale Jr."

We can compare Jr to Joey but what has Joey done to date?

I agree that Jr is an average driver at this time I just don't see him going anywhere with HMS. He was better with DEI I believe.

[gregg52]

he was better with DEI when the ole mans influence was still there

i personally believe if his dad was around he would be in the top 5

not sure he woulda beat jj but he would have more wins and be wayyyy more competive

tuff to compare him to joey hes only been around 2 yrs

but i do blieve joey will win this yr and be right there when it comes down to being in the chase

as far him gettin better i dont think latart is going to do much for him

i think hendricks took his 2nd best crew chief andput him with a proven driver and maybe figures if jj cant get 6 in row jeff will have a chance and keep those championship coming

i said this before i think mark m got the worse end of the deal