Dale Jr: Your Fans Are Here To Stay!

For the seventh consecutive year, race fans have voted Dale Earnhardt Jr. the NASCAR® NMPA Chex Most Popular Driver. Earnhardt Jr. received his 2009 trophy on December 3 at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon in Las Vegas. He is in very good company on the all-time winners list. He stands with 16 time winner Bill Elliott and Richard Petty who won the award 9 times.

Audio: Dale Earnhardt Jr. accepts the NASCAR NMPA Chex Most Popular Driver Award

Why do we fans vote everyday? Because we pay attention, we know the problems with the car this past year were not because of Jr's performance. This award is not based on performance entirely anyway - we see the man behind the fire suit. The shy, humble and polite man. The successful businessman, the man who gives so much of his time to others. We know that and more which is the reason we root Dale on every single week no matter what. We vote every day no matter what.

He takes the time to respond to his fans in various forums. Infield Parking, the National Guard website, the GoDaddy website and on DaleJr.com and more. It was so important to him to thank his fans for the MPD award it wasn't even a question whether he would accept in person.

Dale Jr. flew in from North Carolina to Las Vegas all in one day just to accept this award and give thanks to the fans who have continued to support him in good times and bad. He said: “If the fans are going to go through the trouble of clicking online every day to get this award for you and hope that you win it and want you to win it,” he said, “I understand how important it is for me to accept it in person – not only to thank the fans obviously but it also gives me an opportunity to thank my family.”

"It’s hard to put the words together to explain what the feeling is like. “There’s a big sense of did I earn this, did I deserve it because of my family name?"

I would like to insert here that I have followed Nascar for quite some time now and never really had a most favorite driver - I kind of switched back and forth. But, and pay attention here Jr, based on my description above of the man behind the fire suit I have been a fan of Dale Jr since around 2000. I have heard more times than I can count from other fans it is the man they vote for, not always the driver.

When I became his fan and never looked back, I was captured by the smile, the eagerness to prove to his Dad that he was a racer. He described it very well himself, it's a never flinch attitude. Go hard and never quit and he never has. Even during the tough times like the last years at DEI and this past season, he never gave up while knowing at times he was given, for lack of a better word, inferior equipment.

I was happy to hear that the team has been restructured and Mr Hendrick has already made changes, moving the former lead engineer of Mark Martin's No. 5 car to Earnhardt's team, and tasking Alan Gustafson and Lance McGrew with merging those operations to the same level of the 48 and 24 of Johnson and Gordon.

That, my friends is what makes a Most Popular Driver, not necessarily someone who can win with perfect equipment, the best crew chief etc.

"My father gave me a hell of a gift in popularity. So my job has been to try to be an asset to the sport and maintain that gift and its integrity and the name that my father has built, the respect that it has, the Earnhardt name and all that."

“There’s a lot of emotions that run through when I accept the award. … There’s a big sense of responsibility for me with the Earnhardt name to do good, do it justice.”

We still believe in you Dale Jr. Do not ever give up on yourself because we have never given up on you and never will!

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A few recaps of the Myers Brothers roast. (Thanks to Jeff Gluck)

Host says to Mark Martin, “I don’t want to say you’re too old to drive, but the pole-sitter of your first race was Ben Hur.”

Host asks where Kasey Kahne is and says, “I didn’t see you behind the grown-ups.”

Host says Greg Biffle is “Al Gore minus the charisma.”

Host to Vickers: “Red Bull gives you wings. It’d be nice if they gave you an engine too, huh?”

Brian Vickers: I could get (Jimmie) in more trouble than Tiger Woods

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Here's a short recap of Jr's interview after receiving the award.

NEWS: Dale Jr tells us that Tony Eury Jr and Kelley Earnhardt now are part-owners of JR Motorsports.

Also says he let crew chief Brian Campe go b/c he was looking elsewhere. Eury Jr will likely crew chief the 5 Nwide car next year

It's a very real possibility Kelly Bires may only run a half-season in 88 car

Danica is in negotiations with his sister but he hasn't been involved in any way. Still working on it.

He flew in just for this and is flying out right afterward. Says it was important for him to accept in person not video

"As an entire unit, the 88 car could have been stronger. But we had some broken links some areas." Says made changes in engineering dept

I'm just sick over this>>>He said - JR Motorsports is struggling to find sponsors and possibility of running full season w/88 right now “do not look very good.”

JRM sponsorship search a “dire situation.” Says he's met w/ half-dozen drivers to try and find sponsor packages.

Onward to 2010 - 8 will be great and should still be our number. We can't wait to see that 88 car up front again and we will be voting. :) Jr Nation rocks and if there are any wise marketing people around they should check into sponsoring one of those JRM cars because we support our driver and we also strongly support his sponsors.

For Sponsorship Opportunities please contact:
JR Motorsports
PO Box 330
Mooresville, NC 28115
704-696-3580