Former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick has publicly criticized Martin Truex Jr. for the way he addressed the death of his former partner, Sherry Pollex.
Pollex died on Sunday after a long battle with ovarian and lung cancer that began in 2014.
Truex and Pollex were together from 2005 until their separation in January 2023.
Patrick, who is now an analyst for Sky Sports’ F1 coverage, blasted the tone of Truex’s statement as “insensitive”.
“I avoid negativity on social media at all costs. Almost…’ Patrick wrote in a post on his Instagram Story on Monday.
Danica Patrick disagreed with Martin Truex Jr.’s statement honoring his ex-partner
Truex Jr.’s longtime girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, died Sunday after a battle with cancer
Patrick publicly expressed her displeasure with the language used, which she called “insensitive.”
“But this is the most insensitive out-of-touch statement from a guy I’ve never liked. And obviously for good reason.
“I don’t care what happened between them, but this is as cold as it gets. A PR rep wrote this, guaranteed. You’re free of that now, sherry.
Truex’s statement addressed Sherry’s battle without sharing any insight into their relationship.
“From the minute she was diagnosed, Sherry was determined to not only fight ovarian cancer with everything she had, but also to make a difference in the lives of others battling this terrible disease,” wrote Truex.
“Sherry’s passion for making a difference in the lives of others was an inspiration to everyone. Through her tireless charitable work for so many years, her legacy will live on well beyond our lifetimes and continue to help countless families battling ovarian and childhood cancer.
“I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his entire family, who showed incredible strength and resilience throughout his fight.”
NASCAR fans weren’t happy with how Patrick handled the situation — or the timing of his comments. They expressed their dissatisfaction on social networks.
“To everyone who knows Danica Patrick personally. Be a GOOD Friend, go to her house, take her cell phone and smash it with a hammer so the nonsense can finally stop flowing from her fingertips. What an absolute a**hole,” one Twitter user wrote.
Racing fans slammed Patrick for a post some said was unnecessary and rude
“Okay, in case anyone is still in doubt, Danica Patrick is just a bad person,” another wrote.
“Danica Patrick is a fucking insufferable man,” another user said. “What a weird thing to stick your nose in and post about someone less than 24 hours after your ex died from cancer.”
After getting into NASCAR through the efforts of her father Greg Pollex – who owned PPC Racing, a team on the sport’s second division circuit – Sherry began using her business acumen to promote charities and causes that benefited her. are close to heart.
She was instrumental in the creation of “Catwalk for a Cause,” an annual fashion-in-sports charity gala that has raised more than $4 million to fight childhood cancer since its inception in 2010.
NASCAR released a statement saying: “NASCAR is saddened to learn of the passing of Sherry Pollex, whose fight against cancer and determination to help others through the Sherry Strong Foundation were an inspiration to all who knew her.
“The thoughts and prayers of NASCAR and the NASCAR Foundation are with Sherry’s family and friends.”
Sherry’s father, Greg, had raced on dirt tracks in their native Michigan before eventually moving on to national circuits. ppc Racing won what was then known as the Busch Series – now Xfinity Series – championship in 2000 with driver Jeff Green.
After moving to Florida during Sherry’s college years, she went on to earn a degree in sports marketing from Florida State University.
Pollex was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014. After surgeries and months of chemotherapy, she went into remission. But the disease reappeared in his lungs in 2021.
Truex and Pollex were together from 2005 until their separation in January 2023.
She met Truex while he was on the Xfinity Series. The couple would go on to form the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, which raises money for the fight against pediatric and ovarian cancer.
Truex would compete in the top-tier Cup Series, where he would win the 2017 Cup Series title. He is currently tied for the lead as the 2023 season comes to a close – with Truex winning the regular season title.
Pollex’s own diagnosis came in 2014, when doctors discovered advanced stage III ovarian cancer. She underwent emergency surgery in August, during which doctors removed her ovaries, fallopian tubes, spleen, appendix and part of her stomach.
After doctors gave her a 30% chance of survival over the next five years, she ended her chemotherapy treatments in January 2016.
After years of remission, doctors found that Pollex’s cancer had returned in September 2021.
They determined the disease had spread to his lungs – and further tests revealed the cancer had progressed.
Additionally, they found that this strain of cancer was particularly aggressive and resistant to treatment.