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TORONTO - Although NASACR is seen as a male-dominated sport many women play very influential roles. Here are the Dean of Speed’s Top 10 NASCAR women of influence:
1. LESA FRANCE KENNEDY
NASCAR Vice Chairwoman/Executive Vice President. Kennedy is the matriarch of the France family that controls NASCAR.
2. KELLEY EARNHARDT
General Manager of JR Motorsports and sister of Dale Earnhardt Jr. She belongs to NASCAR’s other royal family. She negotiates all of her brother’s contracts and sponsorship deals.
3. JULIE SOBIESKI
Vice-president of programming and acquisitions, ESPN. Sobieski is responsible for the day-to-day motorsports properties airing on ESPN including NASCAR, the IndyCar Series and the NHRA.
4. DELANA HARVICK
Co-owner of Kevin Harvick Incorporated. She is much more than the wife of NASCAR star Kevin Harvick. She runs the family race team.
5. DANICA PATRICK
Race car driver. Many have tried but only Patrick has created as high a profile for women drivers in NASCAR. She can and does demand the top rates for all important sponsorship deals.
6. KRISTI KING
Director of competition communications NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. King is the face of NASCAR when the media need an answer to any question regarding Sprint Cup racing.
7. LEE SPENCER
Senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com. She knows everybody in the NASCAR garage and everybody knows her.
8. TARA RAGAN
Vice President Walldinger Racing, Inc. Ragan manages the career of Sprint Cup star A.J. Allmendinger. She has been with him since his days in Champ Car.
9. KRISTINE CURLEY
Director of Media Relations at GMR Marketing. Curley is the gate-keeper for five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. If you want something from him you must go through Curley.
10. KRISTA VODA
FOX -TV host. Voda multi-tasks with hosting duties for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Speed-TV’s Trackside and as pit reporter for FOX Sports Sprint Cup telecasts.