* Special Award Winners Recognized: Earnhardt Jr. wins fourth Most Popular Driver Award
* NASCAR’s Jim Hunter receives Buddy Shuman Award
* Champions commemorate the season at Rockefeller Plaza’s Famous Christmas Tree
NEW YORK (Nov. 30, 2006) – On the eve of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Awards Ceremony in New York, over $1 million in special awards were presented at the NASCAR/National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Myers Brothers luncheon.
Headlining the list of award winners was Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet), who won the Chex Cereals Most Popular Driver Award for the fourth consecutive year, and 2006 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet), who finished third in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and received $50,000 as the series’ top rookie racer.
When did they start giving awards for the 4th most popular? :)