Who Was Miss Sprint Cup?

Miss Sprint Cup became a NASCAR staple when Sprint took over as NASCAR's title sponsor in 2008. You've seen her face in every Victory Lane interview, standing next to the driver as he talks to Fox, TNT or ESPN about how awesomely his car and his crew performed. She wears a firesuit with a big Sprint logo on it. She is, of course, Miss Sprint Cup.

Unfortunately, we won't be seeing her there any longer. Sprint announced in December 2014 that it would not be extending its NASCAR sponsorship beyond 2016, citing a "highly competitive business environment" and changes within the company as the motivating factors. NASCAR announced in December 2016 that Monster Energy was taking over as the new entitlement sponsor.​

Miss Sprint Cup may be gone, but she won't be easily forgotten and questions about her remain. Who is she? How did she get the job? Does she do anything else besides stand next to the winner in Victory Lane? Here are the details.

The Three Miss Sprint Cups

Here's the first thing you may not realize about Miss Sprint Cup: Three different women have held the title over the years.

• Kim Coon: Kim is from Orlando, Florida. She became Miss Sprint Cup at the start of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
• Jaclyn Roney: Jaclyn is from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She became Miss Sprint Cup in the middle of the 2011 Sprint Cup season.
• Kristen Beat: Kristen is from El Cajon, California. 2012 was her first season as Miss Sprint Cup.

The program actually started as "Sprint Speed Ambassadors" in 2007. Then, when Sprint took over as the title sponsor the following year, it was renamed "Miss Sprint Cup." This program carried on a tradition that began in 1971 when "Miss Winston" provided marketing support for RJR Nabisco in much the same way that Miss Sprint Cup did for Sprint.

How Were the Miss Sprint Cups Selected?

Contrary to popular belief, there was no Miss Sprint Cup pageant with local winners from every state coming together to compete for the title. There was no swimsuit competition or talent portion of the program. In fact, there was no program at all.

All that was required of aspiring Miss Sprint Cups was that they go through a standard interview just like you would for any other media job. 

According to Marilyn's Model and Talent Management, the agency that recruited for the Miss Sprint Cup position, there were a number of requirements.

"Candidates should be at least 22-years-old and hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, must possess excellent writing and speaking skills, be comfortable with wireless technology, and have significant experience in the promotional or spokesmodel field. Extensive week and weekend travel is required. Candidates should live in the Charlotte, NC region. Anyone in the USA may apply, approved candidates must understand if hired, they would need to relocate to the Charlotte, NC region."

Previous Miss Sprint Cup Representatives

There have been a number of women who held the role but two require special mention.

• Monica Polumbo: Monica is the face that most think of as Miss Sprint Cup. She represented Sprint and NASCAR in this role from 2008 through the end of the 2011 season. Monica decided to retire after the 2011 season.
• Paige Duke: Paige became Miss Sprint Cup in 2010 but was fired in late June of 2011 when nude photos of her surfaced on the Internet. Apparently, Paige posed for the photos years before and had given them to her boyfriend. She has acknowledged that she made a mistake and has urged others not to make the same one. Paige Duke went onto star in "Sweet Home Alabama" on CMT.

What Exactly Did Miss Sprint Cup Do?

So what were some of the job responsibilities of Miss Sprint Cup?

• She had to stand in Victory Lane and smile. This is where most NASCAR fans first noticed Miss Sprint Cup.
• She would greet NASCAR fans. This was probably her number one responsibility. From the Sprint Experience at the track to the hospitality suites, Miss Sprint Cup had some very busy weekends at the track. She also had a strong social media presence and interacted with fans on Facebook and Twitter.
• She was a media personality. Miss Sprint Cup was an ambassador for Sprint and NASCAR so she was called upon to do occasional interviews. She also tracked down drivers for interviews, moderated Q&A panels, hosted segments for NASCAR.com, and more.

Is It All Over?

Not necessarily. Monster Energy has its own girls. They appeared for the first time at 2017's Daytona 500. Their outfits have raised a few eyebrows — no more fire suits — but you'll have to check them out for yourself.