Dale Earnhardt Jr. named Most Popular Driver yet again

Dale Jr. most popular again

The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was full of surprises.

But the name of the winner of the 2015 Sprint NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, announced Friday night during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards banquet at the Wynn in Las Vegas, wasn't one of them. As fully expected by pretty much everyone in attendance and watching on television, Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured the honor for the 13th consecutive year.

Only NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott has won the award more times than Earnhardt Jr., having earned it a record 16 times. Elliott, in fact, was the last driver besides Earnhardt Jr. to win the award, having done so in 2002.

As always, Earnhardt thanked the many fans who voted for him — most of whom no doubt are proud, card-carrying members of Junior Nation.