Following what promises to be an historic Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, NASCAR will hold its annual NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet a postseason tradition honoring the champions and award winners from two of NASCAR’s national series. The ceremony takes place at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel on Monday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m., one final opportunity for the sport to celebrate its champions, and its fans. SPEED’s Krista Voda and Rick Allen will host Monday’s banquet, with the band Simplified unleashing an opening to the show with a live performance. Comedian John Pinette returns to the ceremony, enlivening the festivities with his unique brand of self-deprecating humor. And as the chances for championship glory near an end, so too do the opportunities for fans to vote for their favorites in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver polls. NASCAR.COM has housed on-line voting for both series since July 20. Voting closes on Thursday, Nov. 17 as the teams from each series close out the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series top five as of Oct. 31: Todd Bodine, Ricky Carmichael, Austin Dillon, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Nelson Piquet Jr. (Vote here: NASCAR.com.) The 2011 Most Popular Driver for each series will be announced at the combined awards banquet for each series on Nov. 21 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. SPEED will broadcast the banquet on Friday, Dec. 2 from 7-9 p.m. ET, which will lead into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony at the Wynn Las Vegas.(NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)(11-10-2011)
