Chalk up another top-10 finish for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The Celebrity DBI powered by Repucom has ranked the Hendrick Motorsports driver among its Top 100 athletes, pulling in at No. 10 overall, according to Sports Business Daily. According to the study, which measures the influence and relevance individuals have on the public, Earnhardt’s celeb “DBI score” is 72.38, which gives him a celebrity status comparable to rapper Kanye West, musician Nick Jonas and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
Respondents in the twice-a-week poll are asked to evaluate the celebrity based on eight attributes — awareness, appeal, aspiration, breakthrough, endorsement, influence, trend-setter and trust.
Stewart-Haas Racing driver Danica Patrick was right off Earnhardt’s pace, ranking 11th among athletes, with a comparable celebrity status to model Kate Upton, actor James Franco and musician Bono.
Three other NASCAR drivers appeared in the top 100, in six-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson (33rd among athletes), three-time champ Tony Stewart (44th) and Kurt Busch (92nd).