Kenny Wallace Voted NASCAR Busch Series Most Popular Driver

Kenny Wallace

The votes are in and Kenny Wallace has been named the 2006 NASCAR Busch Series Most Popular Driver.

Wallace is the only three-time winner of the award. He also won in 1991 and ’94. The award is determined by a ballot in NASCAR Insider Magazine, the official NASCAR Membership publication and a part of Dick Berggren’s Speedway Illustrated.

The award and trophy were given to a surprised Wallace at the NASCAR Busch Series Awards Banquet on Dec. 8 at the Grand Floridian Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Wallace finished 11th in the 2006 point standings, just missing a place at the banquet reserved for the top 10 finishers in the final rankings. Wallace had finished in the top 10 in points in each of his nine previous full-time seasons in the NASCAR Busch Series.

Although disappointed that he wasn’t in the top 10, Wallace accepted an invitation from NASCAR president Mike Helton to attend the banquet to receive a “special award.” Wallace, who celebrated his 20th year as a racer in NASCAR national series competition in 2006, had no idea he would be named the series’ Most Popular Driver.

“I’m humbled by this award,” he told the capacity crowd during a lively yet serious off-the-cuff speech. “I’m totally surprised. This means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

Wallace, who has 327 career starts in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, will return full-time to that series next season.

NASCAR Busch Series Most Popular Driver Award Winners
1982 – Jack Ingram
1983 – Sam Ard
1984 – Sam Ard
1985 – Jimmy Hensley
1986 – Brett Bodine
1987 – Jimmy Hensley
1988 – Larry Pearson
1989 – Rob Moroso
1990 – Bobby Labonte
1991 – Kenny Wallace
1992 – Joe Nemechek
1993 – Joe Nemechek
1994 – Kenny Wallace
1995 – Chad Little
1996 – David Green
1997 – Mike McLaughlin
1998 – Buckshot Jones
1999 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2000 – Ron Hornaday
2001 – Kevin Harvick
2002 – Greg Biffle
2003 – Scott Riggs
2004 – Martin Truex Jr.
2005 – Martin Truex Jr.
2006 – Kenny Wallace