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DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Although he missed one half of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season due to injury, race fans still overwhelmingly selected Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the National Motorsports Press Association Sprint Most Popular Driver.
Earnhardt's selection was announced Friday during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards program at the Wynn Las Vegas. A $10,000 donation to the charity of his choice will be made on behalf of the NMPA.
It is the 14th consecutive season Earnhardt has been voted the series' MPD. The award is the only major NASCAR honor to be determined solely by fan vote.
Only one other driver, Bill Elliott, has won the award more often. Elliott was named the series' most popular driver 16 times between 1984 and 2002.
Earnhardt, driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, was sidelined at midseason after suffering concussion-like symptoms following on-track incidents at Michigan International Speedway and Daytona International Speedway. He is expected to return to competition for 2017.
RELATED: Junior injury timeline
"The Most Popular Driver Award is always very humbling to receive, even more so this year with my injury and time out of the car," Earnhardt Jr. said. "The fans continue to amaze me with their loyalty and the support they've shown throughout my career no matter the circumstance.
"I try not to think about winning or losing the Most Popular Driver award; it's a bit of a gift, you know. Whether we win the award or not, we get a lot of great support from our fans all season long. I certainly got some extra support this year through the injury and all that stuff; it's unfortunate to be in that position but the fans were great. That was an incredible motivator for me during my recovery to get healthy. Not a lot of people that go through those types of support groups, but the fans really made a world of difference.
"I was pretty open and transparent in sharing the process and they were certainly open and honest replying and wishing us well. It made the bad days better and once I started feeling good about coming back it gave me a lot of motivation, maybe a reminder I guess of why I want to be back in the car. You race to have fun and win races, but it wouldn't even be worth making the trip if the fans didn't show up. They're a huge reason why we want to get back in the car and be back at the track next year."
Junior also tweeted a message to his fans after receiving the award.
Sprint has been the presenting sponsor of the Most Popular Driver Award program since 2014.
Forty drivers received one or more votes from fans during this year's 12-week voting period. Aside from Earnhardt Jr., others finishing in the top 10 in vote totals were (in alphabetical order): Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Danica Patrick, Tony Stewart and Martin Truex Jr.
The Most Popular Driver Award has been presented annually since 1953 and the recipient was originally determined by a poll of competitors. It became a fan-driven program in 1984 under the guidance of the NMPA.
MPD Winners
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2015 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2014 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2013 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2012 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2011 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2010 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2009 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2008 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2007 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2006 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2005 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2004 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2003 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2002 | Bill Elliott |
| 2001 | Dale Earnhardt |
| 2000 | Bill Elliott |
| 1999 | Bill Elliott |
| 1998 | Bill Elliott |
| 1997 | Bill Elliott |
| 1996 | Bill Elliott |
| 1995 | Bill Elliott |
| 1994 | Bill Elliott |
| 1993 | Bill Elliott |
| 1992 | Bill Elliott |
| 1991 | Bill Elliott |
| 1990 | Darrell Waltrip |
| 1989 | Darrell Waltrip |
| 1988 | Bill Elliott |
| 1987 | Bill Elliott |
| 1986 | Bill Elliott |
| 1985 | Bill Elliott |
| 1984 | Bill Elliott |
| 1983 | Bobby Allison |
| 1982 | Bobby Allison |
| 1981 | Bobby Allison |
| 1980 | David Pearson |
| 1979 | David Pearson |
| 1978 | Richard Petty |
| 1977 | Richard Petty |
| 1976 | Richard Petty |
| 1975 | Richard Petty |
| 1974 | Richard Petty |
| 1973 | Bobby Allison |
| 1972 | Bobby Allison |
| 1971 | Bobby Allison |
| 1970 | Richard Petty |
| 1969 | Bobby Isaac |
| 1968 | Richard Petty |
| 1967 | Cale Yarborough |
| 1966 | Darel Dieringer |
| 1965 | Fred Lorenzen |
| 1964 | Richard Petty |
| 1963 | Fred Lorenzen |
| 1962 | Richard Petty |
| 1961 | Joe Weatherly |
| 1960 | Rex White |
| 1959 | Jack Smith |
| 1958 | Glen Wood |
| 1957 | Fireball Roberts |
| 1956 | Curtis Turner |
| 1955 | Tim Flock |
| 1954 | Lee Petty |
| 1953 | Lee Petty |