NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award
NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award is awarded to the most popular NASCAR driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series every year since 1956. It started as a poll of the drivers and then all NASCAR Cup Series competitors. Today it is voted for by fans across the United States.
The award is presented by the National Motorsports Press Association. Sponsored by Hamburger Helper in 2010, it was also sponsored by Wheaties in 2011. The ceremony presenting the award is called the NASCAR Awards Banquet, and it is held in Nashville, Tennessee in November of each year.
The winner of the most awards is Bill Elliott with 16 in the NASCAR Cup Series. Elliott Sadler has the most with four awards in the Xfinity Series, and Johnny Benson Jr. has the most awards at three in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has the second-most awards and holds the longest streak, winning the award in 2003 and every year until his retirement in 2017.
Recipients
NASCAR Cup Series
Xfinity Series
| Year | Driver | Team | Notes | - |
| 1982 | Jack Ingram | Ingram Racing | Won the series championship | - |
| 1983 | Sam Ard | Thomas Brothers Racing | Won the series championship | - |
| 1984 | Sam Ard | Thomas Brothers Racing | Won the series championship | - |
| 1985 | Jimmy Hensley | Thomas Brothers Racing | - | |
| 1986 | Brett Bodine | Thomas Brothers Racing | - | |
| 1987 | Jimmy Hensley | Sam Ard Racing | - | |
| 1988 | Larry Pearson | Pearson Racing | - | |
| 1989 | Rob Moroso | Moroso Racing | Won the series championship | - |
| 1990 | Bobby Labonte | Labonte Motorsports | - | |
| 1991 | Kenny Wallace | Rusty Wallace Racing | - | |
| 1992 | Joe Nemechek | NEMCO Motorsports | Won the series championship | - |
| 1993 | Joe Nemechek | NEMCO Motorsports | - | |
| 1994 | Kenny Wallace | FILMAR Racing | - | |
| 1995 | Chad Little | Mark Rypien Motorsports | - | |
| 1996 | David Green | American Equipment Racing | - | |
| 1997 | Mike McLaughlin | Frank Cicci Racing | - | |
| 1998 | Buckshot Jones | Buckshot Racing | - | |
| 1999 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Won the series championship | - |
| 2000 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | - | |
| 2001 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Won the series championship | - |
| 2002 | Greg Biffle | Roush Racing | Won the series championship | - |
| 2003 | Scott Riggs | ppc Racing | - | |
| 2004 | Martin Truex Jr. | Chance 2 Motorsports | Won the series championship | - |
| 2005 | Martin Truex Jr. | Chance 2 Motorsports | Won the series championship | - |
| 2006 | Kenny Wallace | ppc Racing | - | |
| 2007 | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing | Won the series championship | - |
| 2008 | Brad Keselowski | JR Motorsports | - | |
| 2009 | Brad Keselowski | JR Motorsports | - | |
| 2010 | Brad Keselowski | Penske Racing | Won the series championship | - |
| 2011 | Elliott Sadler | Richard Childress Racing | - | |
| 2012 | Danica Patrick | JR Motorsports | The first female driver to win the MPD award | - |
| 2013 | Regan Smith | JR Motorsports | - | |
| 2014 | Chase Elliott | JR Motorsports | Won the series championship | - |
| 2015 | Chase Elliott | JR Motorsports | - | |
| 2016 | Elliott Sadler | JR Motorsports | ||
| 2017 | Elliott Sadler | JR Motorsports | - | |
| 2018 | Elliott Sadler | JR Motorsports | - | |
| 2019 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports |
Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series
| Year | Driver | Team | Notes |
| 1995 | Butch Miller | Liberty Racing | |
| 1996 | Jimmy Hensley | Grandaddy Racing | |
| 1997 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | |
| 1998 | Stacy Compton | Impact Motorsports | |
| 1999 | Dennis Setzer | K Automotive Racing | |
| 2000 | Greg Biffle | Roush Racing | Won the series championship |
| 2001 | Joe Ruttman | Bobby Hamilton Racing | |
| 2002 | David Starr | Spears Motorsports | |
| 2003 | Brendan Gaughan | Orleans Racing | |
| 2004 | Steve Park | Orleans Racing | |
| 2005 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Kevin Harvick Incorporated | |
| 2006 | Johnny Benson Jr. | Bill Davis Racing | |
| 2007 | Johnny Benson Jr. | Bill Davis Racing | |
| 2008 | Johnny Benson Jr. | Bill Davis Racing | Won the series championship |
| 2009 | Ricky Carmichael | Kevin Harvick Incorporated, Turner Motorsports | |
| 2010 | Narain Karthikeyan | Wyler Racing | The first non-American driver to win the award |
| 2011 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Won the series championship |
| 2012 | Nelson Piquet Jr. | Turner Motorsports | First South American winner |
| 2013 | Ty Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | |
| 2014 | Ryan Blaney | Brad Keselowski Racing | |
| 2015 | John Hunter Nemechek | SWM-NEMCO Motorsports | |
| 2016 | Tyler Reddick | Brad Keselowski Racing | |
| 2017 | Chase Briscoe | Brad Keselowski Racing | |
| 2018 | Noah Gragson | Kyle Busch Motorsports | |
| 2019 | Ross Chastain | Niece Motorsports |
Mexico Series
Total Awards
With at least two awards.| Driver | Cup | Xfinity | Truck | Mexico | Total |
| Bill Elliott | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Bobby Allison | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Richard Petty | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Elliott Sadler | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Chase Elliott* | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Lee Petty | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Brad Keselowski* | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Jimmy Hensley | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Ron Hornaday Jr. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Johnny Benson Jr. | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Jorge Arteaga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Chris Turner | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Fred Lorenzen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Sam Ard | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Joe Nemechek | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kenny Wallace | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Martin Truex Jr.* | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Greg Biffle | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Pepe Montano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |