RELATED: Cast your vote now
In the midst of the inaugural Chase for both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, drivers from each series will begin chasing more than just the championship as voting has officially opened for the 2016 Most Popular Driver Award.
The NASCAR XFINITY Series Most Popular driver race is wide open with past two-time winner Chase Elliott advancing to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year. Notable drivers who made their name in the series by winning the Most Popular Driver Award include Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1999), Kevin Harvick (2001), Martin Truex Jr. (2004-05), Carl Edwards (2007), Brad Keselowski (2008-10) and Danica Patrick (2012).
John Hunter Nemechek will try to defend his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver Award. If Nemechek were to win the award, he would become only the second driver in series history to be honored multiple times, joining former series champion Johnny Benson Jr. Other notable Most Popular Driver Award winners include Greg Biffle (2000), Austin Dillon (2011), Ty Dillon (2013) and Ryan Blaney (2014).
Voting is open and runs through Friday, Nov. 18, for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Saturday, Nov. 19, for the NASCAR XFINITY Series, prior to the respective season finale races at Homestead-Miami Speedway during Ford Championship Weekend.
Fans can vote once per day online for the Most Popular Driver Awards at www.NASCAR.com/mostpopulardriver.
The winners will be announced at the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards. The combined postseason gala will take place at the Loews in Miami Beach, Florida, on Monday, Nov. 21.
To be eligible to receive Most Popular Driver votes, drivers must have selected either the NASCAR XFINITY Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to receive 2016 championship driver points. Additionally, drivers must have attempted at least half of each series' races this season.