Well, speaking of 2017 NASCAR Cup Champion Martin Truex Jr.'s success, there is just one person you can’t forget to mention, Sherry Pollex. Sherry Pollex is an entrepreneur and long-time partner of Martin Truex Jr.
The two met way back in 2005 and have stuck together ever since. In 2007, they joined forces and founded The Martin Truex Foundation. The foundation was aimed at helping children in need and those suffering from Cancer.
In 2014, she was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer at the age of 35 years. According to the doctors, her chances of survival for the next five years were 30%. To save her, she had to undergo debulking surgery and a radical hysterectomy.
As NASCAR approached their 2022 season kick-off on Sunday 20th February 2022, Sherry and Martin sat down with Fox’s Tom Rinaldi for a deep chat about their fight and journey. The conversation was not only deep but also emotional as they shared the struggles of their fight with ovarian cancer.
While speaking to Tom about the return of her cancer in December last year, she stated that she was going to attend the Daytona 500 to support her partner in the race to win his first Daytona 500.
“I do have some tumors in my right lung. I'm praying for a clean scan here in the next couple months, but I feel good. And I'm gonna be there on Sunday on that starting line right next to him on the grid and I'm gonna be there. I want to see Martin take the green on Sunday, hopefully when his first Daytona 500 There's no other option for me.”
On her Twitter account, she thanked Fox for sharing her story with the world, writing:
“Thank you @NASCAONFOX for sharing our story in the hopes it will save someone’s life watching from home #ovariancancerawareness.”
In addition, she also underwent 17 months of chemotherapy. From that point on, she became an ambassador for helping other women identify early symptoms of cancer through SherryStrong.org.
In 2018, Pollex and Truex Jr. announced that she had completed her chemotherapy after months of attending it. During this difficult time, Truex Jr. was right beside her, giving her all the support she needed to overcome the disease.
How NASCAR drivers supported Martin Truex Jr. and Sherry Pollex
Before her big announcement in 2018, in 2017 she discovered that she was among the 85% of women who had a recurrence. The news was somewhat disappointing for Truex Jr., but kept motivating her to keep on fighting.
The same year was Truex Jr.’s best season as he won the Championship. Being a NASCAR driver, he was part of the NASCAR family and they really supported him and his partner during that tough period.
In September, during their championship drive, they did something to show that despite being on different teams when a need arises, they all join one team.
As The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation marked its second annual Drive for Teal and Gold campaign.
Twenty-nine NASCAR drivers joined hands and decided to take part in the race using special driving gloves or steering wheels that are either gold that represents pediatric cancer or teal that represents ovarian cancer.
Some of the drivers who took part in the drive for the teal and gold campaign included Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jimmie Johnson, Chase Elliott and others.