Earnhardt Jr. Wins Ninth Straight Most Popular Driver Award

Wheaties FUEL Presents Trophy at NASCAR Post-Season Ceremony

Minneapolis, Minn. (December 1, 2011) - Junior Nation has spoken once again. Fans of Dale Earnhardt Jr. voted the Sprint Cup Series driver the NASCAR® NMPA Most Popular Driver for the ninth straight year. Earnhardt Jr. earned the award after receiving the most online fan votes among all eligible drivers throughout the 2011 racing season.

The trophy was presented by award sponsor Wheaties  FUEL to Earnhardt Jr. at the National Motorsports Press Association's Myers Brothers ceremony Thursday in Las Vegas, Nev.

Fans cast nearly 1.5 million total votes throughout the 2011 campaign, voting up to once per day for their favorite driver at WheatiesFuelMostPopularDriver.com. The field was narrowed to 10 finalists and the vote counts were reset to zero for the final 10 races of the season. The nine other finalists were (in alphabetical order): Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart.

"It's a big honor. My fans have been real supportive throughout my career," Earnhardt Jr. said. "This has been a little bit of a turnaround year from the last couple of years, and we want to keep getting better on the racetrack and give our fans what they expect. We've got a lot of momentum going into 2012, and I'm proud to accept this award on behalf of all the fans who voted."

Bill 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.

"Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s fans showcase the passion NASCAR drivers can instill," said Rea White, president of the National Motorsports Press Association. "The NMPA appreciates all the fans who vote to make this award an important part of NASCAR."

Since 1956, the NASCAR NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, now sponsored by Wheaties FUEL, has recognized NASCAR's most beloved Sprint Cup driver. The award has been won by champions such as Dale Earnhardt, Bobby Allison, Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip. It is still the only NASCAR award determined solely by the fans. 
 
The contest once was decided by a poll among the drivers taken at the end of the season.  Later, only the press was able to vote for the winner.  Today, race fans from all over the world make the ultimate decision.  General Mills became involved with the award in 2001 and today the Wheaties FUEL brand is the presenting sponsor.

By Champions. For Champions. Wheaties FUEL was developed in 2009 with the help of Peyton Manning, triathlete Hunter Kemper, Kevin Garnett, gold medal-winning decathlete Bryan Clay, Albert Pujols and sports nutritionist Dr. John Ivy. After a year-long development process, the result is a delicious honey cinnamon crunch that helps meet the nutritional needs of today's champion athletes and delivers long-lasting energy from complex carbohydrates, includes b-vitamins to help your body release energy provided by food, and provides an excellent source of fiber to help you feel full.
For more information about the NASCAR NMPA Wheaties FUEL Most Popular Driver Award, including a list of past winners, visit www.WheatiesFuelMostPopularDriver.com. 

Mattiolis Named 2011 NMPA Myers Brothers Award Recipients

Drs. Joseph and Rose Mattioli, longtime track owners and supporters of NASCAR, are the recipients of the National Motorsports Press Association’s Myers Brothers Award.

The award, named in honor of former NASCAR competitors Billy and Bobby Myers, was presented Dec. 1 at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards event in the Bellagio Ballroom at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, NV.

Drs. Joe and Rose Mattioli lived their dream of bringing NASCAR racing to the Pocono (Pa.) Mountains, opening Pocono Raceway in 1968. They hosted their first NASCAR 500-mile race in 1974, introducing fans and drivers to a track that would long be known for its unique shape and racing style. They were always on hand at races, greeting media members and drivers and working tirelessly to improve and enhance their facility and to always keep the fans in mind.

“Dr. Joe and Dr. Rose Mattioli represent the true heart and spirit of NASCAR,” NMPA President Rea White said. “They always recognized that NASCAR was more about people than anything else. Their legacy in the sport goes far beyond the Pocono track they labored to build.”

Voted on each year by members of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), the Myers Brothers Award recognizes individuals and/or groups who have provided outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing.

Finalists were the Wood Brothers, Jeff Gordon, Sprint, Jimmie Johnson and Jack Roush.

The award, presented annually since 1958, honors Billy and Bobby Myers, racers who competed in the Carolinas and Virginia. They passed on a legacy of racing to their families that spans three generations.