Driver wives should aspire to be more like Newman (cont'd)

She knows what her title can bring and she uses it wisely. Plus, she's not afraid to get her hands dirty as she agreed to wait tables in Pocono, Pa. to raise money for abused animals used in dog fighting arenas.

But racing wasn't a life she went looking for. The term NASCAR was completely foreign to her and she thought "The King" was Elvis Presley, not Richard Petty.

And as for the Rocket Man, well, she would learn to know him soon enough.

Fashionistas

Krissie Newman is among the many wives and girlfriends turning pit road into a high-designer fare.

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Newman's first date with her husband was in 2001, a blind date arranged through her grandmother and a friend from church. Clerking for a judge in Charlotte, N.C. at the time, she agreed to meet Ryan for dinner, but only after lengthy interrogations over the phone that would ultimately lead to a giddy courtship.

The two were married in 2004 and honeymooned in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Today, Newman's life virtually revolves around her husband's career on the road but she does it in a fashion where her own identity remains intact. She is a volunteer board member of the Humane Society of Catawba County and uses her criminal science degree form Shippensburg University to keep a watchful eye over Ryan's affairs.

She's in the process of obtaining her pilot's license to make travel on the 36-weekend Cup circuit a bit more convenient, and in addition to overseeing the Ryan Newman Foundation, she also maintains a blog giving her views on the sport from the eyes of a NASCAR wife.

Her ever-increasing involvement in the sport has been noticed by many.

Fred Gill, attraction ambassador for country-music superstars Big and Rich, met Newman at a concert two years ago. A friendship with her and her husband formed instantly and Gill became a huge NASCAR fan.

He said her friendship, as well as Newman's impact in the sport, is one-of-a-kind.

"She sets an example for a lot of women in the sport, and she's not just a driver's wife," said Gill, who celebrated with the couple in Victory Lane last week. "She is important to the sport because it's good to have a strong female presence for the female audience in NASCAR."

Together, Gill and the Newmans participate in NASCAR's Sound and Speed Festival in Nashville, Tenn., each year to benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp and Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

"Walking down pit road with Krissie, I see how well received she is," Gill said. "She's a wonderful person and someone to follow."

Politicos follow Hillary Clinton and epicureans follow Martha Stewart as well as Rachael Ray. It only makes sense for NASCAR fans to follow Krissie Newman: NASCAR's first lady.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer