The epitome of class, Krissie a woman fans can admire

By Raygan Swan, NASCAR.COM
February 22, 2008
03:10 PM EST

Not since 1956, when female driver Louise Smith raced Late Models and midget cars, has NASCAR had a proclaimed first lady.

And by first lady, I don't mean wife of NASCAR president Brian France. I mean a female personality fans can relate to, someone fans can admire. Much like how fans admire male drivers on the track, fans need a female to follow.

That female is Krissie Newman, wife of Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman.

She is NASCAR's sweetheart, an unyielding philanthropist for animal causes and a friend to every Cup organization in the garage. Oh and she bakes too, cookies every weekend for the No. 12 team.

Newman's character and accessibility has made her what some consider role model material for the sport of NASCAR.

"I think she's like a first lady to a president, people look up to Krissie as much as they look up to Ryan," said Michelle Croom, executive assistant for the Newman family. "She is a real leader in this sport ... to know Krissie is to love her."

With her down-to-earth demeanor, Newman made a lasting impression on NASCAR fans on Feb. 17 after watching her husband win the 50th running of the Daytona 500.

In an oversized sweatshirt and hair pulled back in a pony tail, a tearful Newman walked from the No. 12 Penske Racing pit box to greet her husband, overwhelmed with emotion.

In post-race interviews, the 30-year-old Jersey girl, full of amazement, held tight to her husband's arm and displayed extreme pride and elation.

Almost immediately, fans formed a connection and wanted to know everything about NASCAR's new favorite wife. Her "Google" hits last weekend went through the roof, according to a California blogger who tracks drivers' wives and significant others.

"The response was huge on our fan forum," Croom added. "It is because Krissie is accessible and even more approachable. She will stop and talk to any and every fan she can."

What fans especially love about Newman is that she and her husband refuse to hide behind handlers or shy away from the public. In fact, the two were spotted Thursday morning shopping together at a grocery store two miles outside California Speedway. This is the same couple that just won the Daytona 500 and was cut a $1 million check from Dodge's chief executive officer Bob Nardelli.

Since her marriage to Ryan Newman in 2004, Newman has become a personality every girl wants to call her best friend.

Her zest for life is contagious, her personality is influential, and Krissie is well aware of her position as a NASCAR wife.

Whether it is coaxing a Dodge dealership out of trucks to haul dog food around animal shelters in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina or making T-shirts supporting the animal cruelty conviction of Michael Vick, Newman throws her weight around, all 120 pounds.

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.

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

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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