Posted: November 8, 2006
Speedway Media Online

In light of the recent events surrounding the #10 Valvoline team member harassing and pushing Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana, it made me wonder about the wives and girlfriends of NASCAR. You know, the women that stand beside their man on pit road during the pre-race ceremonies and are standing back after he wins a race and waist for the camera crews to shy away before she congratulates her man.

DeLana Harvick is what I think is the epitome of a NASCAR wife. She grew up around the sport, calling herself a ‘race brat’. Her father, John Paul Linville, was a Busch Series Driver until the mid 90’s. DeLana carried several task in racing such as keeping the scores until she became a team manager at fourteen. As she became older, she took on the job of public relations for such drivers as Jeff Gordon and Randy LaJoie.

After meeting, falling in love, and marrying Kevin, she’s now the owner of Kevin Harvick, Inc. She’s a car owner and handles merchandizing, licensing, and other task in the family owned business that she and Kevin have created for themselves.

DeLana Harvick knows the business. She breathes, eats, sleeps, and loves the business. Every NASCAR driver should have a wife or girlfriend like her.

Of course, some do have pretty good female counterparts that rank right up there with DeLana.

Patty Petty, a former Miss Winston, works on the project that her and her husband, Kyle, hold dearly to their hearts: Victory Junction Game Camp. The camp, build in their son Adam’s honor, is one of the most recognized charities in NASCAR. President George W. Bush recently paid a visit to the camp with the Petty’s.

Kim Burton has stood by her husband, Jeff, supporting him throughout his departure from Rousch Racing to his rocky start with Richard Childress and her emotions were shown on television as Jeff went on to win his first race in years.

Other wives and girlfriends have racing in their background: Martin Truex, Jr.’s girlfriend Sherry Pollex is the daughter of Greg Pollex, the owner of PPC Racing, who Kenny Wallace drives for the in Busch Series. Allison Leffler, the wife of Busch Series driver Jason Leffler, is the daughter of USAC team owner Bob East.

To answer the question in the title of this article, what makes a good NASCAR wife?

They don’t primp for the camera and are more worried about how they look in Victory Lane. They don’t try to be camera hogs and get the attention away from the guys after a victory. They don’t go on pit road dressed as if they’re attending a Paris Fashion Show.

Knowledge, understanding, and respect for the sport that their men risk their lives for. They get angry like Nicole Lunders did in the Spring.

In other words and in the words of Tammy Wynette, they ‘stand by their men’.