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Bio Excerpt: Sherry Pollex transformed her ovarian cancer diagnosis into a powerhouse advocacy movement, co-founding the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and raising over $2.2 billion for cancer research.— (full bio below ↓↓)

Sherry Pollex

WoMo racer // American

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Sherry's Socials:

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Sherry's Details:

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Birthday:

March 30, 1979 (46)

Birthplace:

Marshall, Michigan, United States

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height:

160cm

racing type:

WoMo racing

racing status:

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team(s):

inspiration(s):

Greg Pollex

FOLLOWING:

Martin Truex Jr.

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GRRL! Number:

GRRL-0446

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Sherry on YouTube:

2019 NASCAR RACE HUB MARTIN TRUEX FOUNDATION FEATURE 190515 | Sherry Pollex

March 19, 2026 / views: 4 / run: 00:02:30

Sherry Pollex discusses motorsports life, partnership with Truex Jr. | Letarte on Location Podca | Sherry Pollex

September 25, 2019 / views: 27683 / run: 00:54:34

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Sherry's bio:

Sherry Pollex wasn’t a driver, but she became one of NASCAR’s most beloved figures—a fierce advocate, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who turned her own battle with ovarian cancer into a movement that changed lives and raised millions for research and patient care.

EARLY YEARS

Born May 10, 1979, in Marshall, Michigan, Sherry Pollex grew up spending summers boating on Lake Michigan with her family—parents Greg Pollex and Sharon Pearson, sister Jill, and brother Jay. Racing was in her blood; her father, Greg, owned PPC Racing, a Busch Series team that competed alongside NFL quarterback Mark Rypien in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She attended Florida State University, where she joined Kappa Delta sorority and graduated with a degree in sports marketing, building friendships and skills that would serve her well in the high-octane world she was about to enter.

OTHER INTERESTS

In 2008, Pollex opened Lavendar Boutique in the heart of Lake Norman, North Carolina—NASCAR country. The shop featured the latest designer brands and became more than just a retail space; it was a reflection of her personal style and her desire to create a welcoming environment for women in the racing community and beyond. She had an eye for fashion, a knack for business, and a genuine love for connecting with people—qualities that would define everything she touched.

EARLY SUCCESS

In 2005, Sherry began a relationship with NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr., and together they became a power couple in the sport. By 2007, they had launched the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, initially focused on raising awareness and funding for childhood cancer. Pollex threw herself into the mission with characteristic energy and heart, organizing the annual Catwalk for a Cause—a fashion show featuring kids battling cancer—and working hands-on with families at hospitals like Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. For seven years, she witnessed the devastation cancer inflicted on young lives. Then, in August 2014, at just 35 years old, she received her own diagnosis: stage 3C ovarian cancer.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

2007: Co-founded the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation with longtime partner Martin Truex Jr., initially focused on childhood cancer awareness and funding.
2008: Launched Lavendar Boutique in Lake Norman, North Carolina.
2014: Diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer at age 35; shifted foundation’s mission to include ovarian cancer research and awareness.
2016: Launched SherryStrong.org on her 37th birthday to empower women to recognize ovarian cancer symptoms and explore integrative wellness options.
2017: She and Truex received the National Motorsports Press Association’s prestigious Myers Brothers Award for outstanding contributions to NASCAR and the community.
2018: Made a $1.2 million gift with Truex to Novant Health to fund two endowed nursing positions for ovarian cancer care.
2021: Served as Grand Marshal at Bristol Motor Speedway, delivering an emotional command to “start your engines” during a race where Truex’s car carried the SherryStrong.org paint scheme.
2023: The SherryStrong Integrative Wellness Center opened at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, offering free therapies including oncology massage, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, and nutritional counseling to cancer patients.

INSPIRATIONS

Pollex drew inspiration from the children she met through her foundation work—kids who faced their diagnoses with courage and joy despite unimaginable circumstances. Their resilience fueled her own when cancer came knocking. She often spoke about choosing positivity, gratitude, and perspective, even on the hardest days. “I choose to wake up every day and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I have this disease and it sucks.’ Nobody wants to have cancer and nobody wants to take chemo,” she said in an interview. But she refused to let the disease define her. Instead, she channeled her experience into advocacy, traveling to Capitol Hill to push for affordable therapy costs and increased research funding for ovarian cancer—a disease that receives far less attention and resources than other cancers.

REPUTATION

Within the NASCAR community, Sherry Pollex was beloved—not just as Martin Truex Jr.’s partner, but as a force in her own right. She was known for her warmth, her work ethic, and her refusal to play the victim. Paint schemes honored her causes, drivers rallied behind her mission, and fans followed her journey with fierce loyalty. Her advocacy helped secure more than $2.2 billion in funding for ovarian cancer research and treatment access. She wrote openly on SherryStrong.org about the realities of living with cancer—the fear of recurrence, the importance of integrative wellness, the power of journaling and gratitude. She made it clear that being a cancer patient didn’t mean giving up on living fully. Even after she and Truex ended their nearly two-decade relationship in the years following her diagnosis, she continued her mission with grace and determination, surrounded by her beloved dogs Charlee and Grayson, her family, and a community that adored her.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Sherry Pollex died on September 17, 2023, at the age of 44, following a nine-year battle with ovarian cancer. Her legacy continues through the SherryStrong movement, the integrative wellness center that bears her name, and the countless lives she touched with her courage, advocacy, and unwavering belief that even in the face of the worst, we can choose hope, gratitude, and purpose.