MORE: In-depth with DeLana Harvick | About the Women In NASCAR series
NASCAR's reach extends far beyond the race track, into charities, social media and other business realms. At the leading edge of those offshoots are some very familiar faces: the wives, girlfriends and mothers of race car drivers.
These five notable women, who all have husbands who are current or former Sprint Cup Series drivers, represent the innumerable women being honored in NASCAR.com's weeklong celebration of Women In NASCAR.
Samantha Busch
Samantha Busch -- who is married to 2015 Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch -- has always held a passion for fitness and fashion. She channels these interests through her work with Kyle Busch Motorsports -- where she works with the retail division to create fan merchandise -- and through her lifestyle blog: www.SamanthaBusch.com. Samantha, mother to young social media darling Brexton, is also involved in the Kyle Busch Foundation, which aims to increase the quality of life of children, their families and communities.
Samantha also played a key role in Kyle's 2015 Sprint Cup championship. In an emotional champion's speech in Las Vegas, Kyle cited Samantha as an instrumental part in his return to racing after serious injuries in the XFINITY Series' opening race at Daytona sidelined him for the first 11 races of the 2015 Sprint Cup season.
Cindy Elliott
Cindy Elliott's role in NASCAR is unique, as she is wife to Hall of Famer Bill Elliott and mother to up-and-coming driver Chase Elliott, who made his full-time series debut in the iconic No. 24 Chevrolet this season. Cindy started out her career as a photographer/photo editor, which is how she met future husband Bill. She served as the marketing director of Bill Elliott Racing and currently works with the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, Georgia.
Chandra Johnson
Chandra, whose husband is Sprint Cup's six-time champion Jimmie Johnson, is the co-founder of the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. Launched in 2006, it focuses on funding K-12 public education in California, Oklahoma and North Carolina. Since its inception, the foundation has raised more than $8.8 million for a variety of charitable causes. A mother of two young daughters, Chandra also founded an art gallery in 2014 called Southern Comfort (SOCO) Gallery. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the Johnsons reside, the gallery represents both established and emerging artists, with a focus on photography.
MORE: Foundation home page | SOCO Gallery
Krissie Newman
Krissie Newman graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Pre-Law with the dream of becoming an attorney. But now, the wife of Ryan Newman and mother of two young daughters aims to find justice for a different group -- animals. Along with her husband, Newman helps run the Rescue Ranch, a charitable organization that aims to provide animal education and rescue, find homes for animals in need and to spay and neuter pets in an attempt to end overpopulation.
MORE: Rescue Ranch website
Sherry Pollex
Longtime girlfriend of Martin Truex Jr., Sherry Pollex has inspired many through her fight against ovarian cancer. Diagnosed in August 2014, Pollex underwent chemotherapy treatments for 17 months, completing her final one on Jan. 11, 2016 -- less than two months before the season-opening Daytona 500.
Truex and Pollex continue to work with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, an organization they started in 2007 to aid in the fight against childhood, and later, ovarian cancer after Pollex's diagnosis. Pollex also started Catwalk for a Cause in 2010, a highly successful annual fashion show that raises money for childhood cancer. The 2015 event raised $253,000.