Allgaier Continues JRM Dominance of NASCAR Xfinity Series Most Popular Driver Award

Justin Allgaier continued what has become a JR Motorsports tradition today by being named the winner of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Most Popular Driver Award. Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet for the team owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., is the sixth driver overall from JRM to win the award and adds to the team’s run of 10 titles, which dates back to 2008 with Brad Keselowski.

“It’s incredible,” an elated Allgaier said upon learning he had won the award. “I am absolutely humbled that this would be the case. Never in a million years did I think this would be the outcome (of the fan voting) this year. I am honored and truly humbled. It’s an amazing award and one that will go down as one of the greatest accomplishments in my career.

“JR Nation is absolutely incredible. It is amazing to me the support they have for our sport and all of JRM, how passionate they are, and that is something I couldn’t be more proud of. It’s pretty special.”

It was also a bit of a surprise, he said.

“I didn’t see this coming. In my mind, I guess a little part of my mind figured that this would never be the outcome. I love our fans. I figured there were other drivers that had a better opportunity to win it. There are a lot of good guys in our sport, so to even be in the running for this award means a lot. To be able to take it home is really incredible.”

Allgaier, 33, completed his fourth season with JRM in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway last month, marking the third time in those four seasons he’s done so. To reach the final race with a chance at the title, Allgaier won the penultimate race of the season at ISM Raceway, his eighth with JRM. That total makes the Illinois driver the career leader in victories for the team.

Allgaier earned the victory, 16 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes in 2019, leading 607 laps on the season. A midseason surge that saw him earn 16 top-10 finishes in the final 17 races leading up to Homestead-Miami Speedway’s finale gave him the chance at earning a third straight NXS championship for the team, but a cut tire in the late stages thwarted that drive and he finished fourth in the final point standings.

Keselowski began JRM’s streak by winning back-to-back MPD awards in 2008-09. Danica Patrick won it in 2012, Regan Smith followed in 2013 and Chase Elliott swept the award in 2014-15 before Elliott Sadler won it three straight seasons from 2016-18. Sadler is the only driver to have won three straight MPD awards for the same team and has won the most overall with five.

JRM PR