NASCAR picks up two ESPYs in online voting

By NASCAR.COM
July 12, 2007
11:44 AM EDT

type size: + -

SPOLIER ALERT: If you want to pop the corn and pour a cold one (Coke, of course, because it's the new "Official Soft Drink" if ISC) before curling up on the couch to watch the ESPYs on Sunday night, stop reading now ...

OK, for those of you who just want the facts:

Four-time Cup champion and current points leader Jeff Gordon won the Best Driver Award on Wednesday night at the 15th annual ESPY Awards at Kodak Theatre. In online voting Gordon bested Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson, Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick, IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr., Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti and NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher.

NASCAR in Hollywood

Although NASCAR has only recently taken an active role in promoting itself on the big screen, stock-car racing is nothing new to Hollywood. Many of the movies have been silly, a few serious and some downright awful.

"Winning an ESPY is an honor," Gordon said. "It's one of the most prestigious awards in sports. It's a credit to how the No. 24 DuPont team performed over the last year.

"Hopefully we can continue to have success through the end of this season and be in contention for next year's award as well."

Talladega Nights, starring Will Farrell, gave NASCAR its second victory of the night by winning in the Best Sports Movie category. Other films in the category were We Are Marshall, Pride and Invincible.

"Clearly, the movie was terrific because of the unbelievable talents of Will Farrell, director Adam McKay and their team," said Dick Glover, NASCAR vice president for broadcasting and new media. "Talladega Nights was a fun experience for both NASCAR fans and non-fans. It was a mixture of realistic racing action and hilarious comedy.

"But what's really exciting about this ESPY is the fact that fans decided the category winner. This is the best form of fan feedback you can have. In this case we know that we provided something they truly enjoyed."

Johnson, the reigning Nextel Cup champion, also was nominated in the Best Championship Performance category. That award went to Peyton Manning, quarterback for the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts.

Harvick also was part of another nomination for NASCAR, in the Best Finish category. Harvick edged Mark Martin by 0.02 seconds in the Daytona 500 in February. The award went to the Los Angeles Dodgers' 11-10 victory against the San Diego Padres, in which the Dodgers hit four consecutive home runs in the ninth inning to tie the game 9-9, then had another homer in the 10th inning to win.

Wednesday night's ceremonies will be televised at 9 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPN.