Why was Dale Sr most ppular driver in 2001 but dale jr has been most popular from like 03 to today??

May be...

It's actually because "Dale Earnhardt" is a Southern phrase that means "God". Whenever Southern NASCAR fans hear it, it makes them experience something similar to an LSD high, and it gives them the desire to start offering sacrifices (aka AMP drinks thrown at the race winner) and buy green clothing with the number 88 on it, without having any idea why they are doing it...but seriously:

It's sad to say that most NASCAR fans are fans of Dale JR because they are oblivous that this "hero" makes any mistakes, causes any wrecks, or anything else that contradicts their god-like image of him, yet they are the first to blame other drivers for nudging JR. The media continues to give fuel to his ego, and this gives him more fans. When they watch NASCAR on television Dale JR is talked about whether he's 3rd or 43rd, and if someone is new to the sport they must think that he is the best thing ever to climb into a race car simply because of all the undeserving media attention he gets. 80% of his fans were acquired with the death of his father at Daytona, and they were quick to jump on the Dale JR bandwagon since he was the only one left to carry the "Earnhardt" tradition. If JR fans say "he's the best" enough times, maybe eventually they will convince themselves that it is true, even though any outsider of JR nation can see that's not true at all.

he Most Popular Driver award is often given to the person who everyone loves, but doesn't get in victory lane much. Which is evident when looking at JR's stat sheet...3 wins since the beginning of 2005, not exactly "the best driver in NASCAR" type stats. So with a record like that, there has to be an outside explanation for the millions of fans that blindly cheer him, and that is Dale Earnhardt SR. JR fans would like him to be the second coming of his dad whether they admit it or not.

probably because of the way dale sr. died. i think people like jr. to pay respect to sr. i don't understand why people like jr. he whines and complains all the time. even when he wins a race!

It's just obvious proof that most of Jr's fans came from Sr...they did it out of pity for Sr's death and Jr. was the closest thing his fans had left of him...so now Jr. will be popular driver for years and years, even though that means nothing as far as championship material.

Dale Sr was voted most popular in 2001 because he died & the majority of people who voted for him are hyprocrits. If he really was the most popular driver then why did they wait until he was dead to vote for him?

And Dale Jr is voted most popular because most of his daddy's fans became Jr fans after Sr died & he is the sentimental favorite. And his last name is Earnhardt.

Oh plus Bill Elliott withdrew his name from the vote. So that help them alot.

Because of his name and he is a okay driver

Have you ever heard of "the balance of nature"?
Well... that's just "what it is"
Everything is fine in "Whoville"

The only reason Dale Sr got most popular driver in 01
is because every one loved him and missed him and they still do
who was in 02?

Dale Sr was only most popular driver the year he died
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Sr
and

dale jr was most important every other year but 2002

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_jr