Most Popular Driver

[wayne]

Racerwife, read my post AGAIN. Since you need it to be explained, I wasn't saying that "I" would buy them for MYSELF!!....I was stating that ANYONE that had enough money to buy any number of books, could fill them out for ANY driver of their choice, and vote as many times as they want as long as they were buying the books. I wasn't saying I would have someone buy them and vote FOR ME.... "PLEASE"!! Instead of it being one vote per person, you CAN vote as many times as you would like. Thats ALL I WAS SAYING. And, as far as stating that someone isn't picked because their fans don't like them enough to pay money to vote is pretty SAD and sorry statement in my opinion. If it were a fair contest, it wouldn't cost money to vote, but HEY... thats Riverhead Raceway.

[bulldozer]

I was on the track with jessica and tomm w comes into the track area and starts booing a 16 year old girl because she won the most popular driver.I really thought he was kidding or i would of went over there and stuffed my trophy right up his you know what.NO class is all i have to say for that guy.I hear bob f call jessica out when she finishes good and you hear the fans chear.She deserved the award because i know i voted for her.All i can say is tommy w is a selfish,arrigant self center piece of crap for booing her while she was trying to make he speech.Its only an award be happy for someone else.CLASS ACT NOT oo.CHRIS TURBUSH

[The"Roof"Rider]

It's cheaper to go buy a 10 dollar trophy!

[Fig8 T.K.]

This award has been given out for numerous years and no complaints. Why is this such a problem this year? Some ballots are given in at the track and some are mailed directly to PDI. The votes are counted by Steve Barick who owns the program company. Steve is there every year on the last night to announce the winners because he is the only one that knows who the winners are. After the behavior of this driver towards a young girl hopefully his sponsors will take a page from John Wellman's notebook. If this driver needs that trophy so bad he can have mine and pull Chris's out of his you know where and than he can have two.

T.K.

[Wannaberacer]

I think she's great and kinda look up to her, since I'm looking to get into a Blunderbust when I get money and a license in a year. Did Tommy W. really come out an boo her? That's terrible, if that's true, then he lost a fan in me.

[wayne]

Do I think it was fixed? no. I just was unaware of how the voting process worked. I've been racing here for a couple years and I never purchased a magazine to see that that was where you got your ballots. All these posts were just my opinion. I'm not trying to take anything away from Jessica.

[Wannaberacer]

Sorry I mis-read your post

[Wheel Racing]

This is a funny topic that seems to be complained about every year. Years ago my family bought programs every week and filled out my name. They thought for sure that I would win and when I didn't, they were upset. I told everyone that it wasn't a big deal because if they were the only ones voting, then it really wouldn't mean that much.They actually stopped voting and I won the next 2 years in a row without any family votes, which felt better. The deal with the voting is that if one crew is voting for their driver, they fill out the rest of the ballot with their favorites in other division which can spike a vote. If you ask Steve Barrick how many total votes there were, you would be surprised how few there really are. Not too many "fans" seem to fill out a ballot and vote. There should be more hype for the award all season and a "vote box" somewhere at the track to encourage weekly votes. A few years ago the JAM had popularity votes with only one vote per member and the vote was very similar to the tracks outcome. I really don't know what the best answer is, but this is definitely not the first time these awards have been questioned. I remember a part-time driver winning the award in a different division a few years back. I really don't feel the award was fixed, the family and Program Dynamics have more integrity than that, but the opportunity to vote multiple times exists for all teams and some take better advantage of that. Congratulations Jessica on the award, you guys did a nice job of making yourself available and being in the public eye (Newsday,etc.). If people are really not happy about the outcomes in the different divisions, than they should also vote. That seems to be the only way to get your favorite driver awarded now. Popularity contests are always questioned. How long did Sanjaya last on American Idol last year??

[KickItUp]

Know what I honestly don't care for?? Why is it when she finsihes a race, it gets announced? She isn't the first 16 year old to drive a racecar, there are other rookies, too, who don't get nearly the recognition. And if you use the being female thing as an excuse, there should be no classifying.. A driver is supposed to be a driver, and that's it. I hate the fact these days that some really hard working people, whether veterans or rookies, get lost because they are not a 16 year old female..

Boy, do I wish freedom of speech really existed, I'd have a mouthful to say, but really, you can't have an honest opinion without being beaten to death these days..

I rememeber thru the years, folks complaining of winners of this thing.. A certain truck driver ran 2 races, won it.. A charger driver ran 6 races at the end of the season, won it.. Another driver who had more boos all season long than any Cup driver won it.. Those few stand out.. But who cares..

As for what the 00 did.. He expressed his opinion.. His honest opinion.. And where I was sitting, there were plenty of drivers in all classes and each had nearly the same things to be said.. As well as fans and families.. So he wasn't the only one, just the only one seen I guess..

I wish racedrivers were just that, racedrivers.. But they don't seem to exist anymore. It's more about what sells than anything else.. Ahhh well..

[maestri fan 1]

RIGGED!!!!!! That's just my opinion. Personally I can't see how someone like Eddie or BOOM BOOM didn't win it.

I have nothing against Jessica, let me say that, but come on.

[W. J.]

Rigged is a strong opinion. I agree with Neal's theory. It was just people who cared enough to cast a vote that got Jessica the award. We do the same thing in this country every 4 years (We let the minority elect our President, and it that President turns out to be bad, you can't find anyone that voted for them, LOL).

[ernnKoct]

It's not rigged, Jessica has two advantages. She's young and she's a girl. The fans love her. Every saturday night after the races, I am at jessica's car when the crowds of people come to her car to talk to her and get autographs. I can't even tell you how many times I've seen little boys and girls approach her car and say "Mommy and daddy, look, there's the girl that drives a racecar! " Jessica stays at her car all night so she can meet and greet her fans. So maybe all the people she meets give her the votes, maybe it's the people who have seen her progress so much within this season, who really knows.. but all I know is it's a popularity contest, not a contest of how many wins you may have. Since it is a popularity contest, I think Jessica deserves it the most this season.

[vsmidge68]

We would like to congratulate Jessica on her Most Popular Driver award. In my opinion, she came a long way this year.

[maestri fan 1]

Rigged may be a strong word I guess but it just seems a little awkward that she wins and her mom does play a big role in the ballot counting according to that PDI guy. I can see that she does do a lot for fans, because anytime I see her as well, she is at her car. Just a little weird, but good job by her anyway.

[RGeeProductions]

I love this!!
Just a bunch of jealous male drivers.
Face it....not "rigged", a simple program voting procedure which she won.
GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!

Congrats Jessica.......