Brooke Sealey Was Jeff Gordon's Wife until Their Marriage Became 'Irretrievably Broken'

Brooke Sealey and her ex-husband, Jeff Gordon, once had a relationship described as a "NASCAR fairy tale." However, after their marriage was "'irretrievably broken," the former couple ended up battling it out in court.

What started out as a secret romance turned into a trip down the aisle for Brooke Sealey and her ex-husband, Jeff Gordon. The former couple were inseparable, and it didn't take long for them to tie the knot after meeting.

However, according to Brooke Sealey, their marriage fell apart following her husband's "martial misconduct." Things did not get much better after Brooke Sealey filed for divorce, as the drama surrounding the exes' separation began to bleed into the professional racer's career.

Brooke Sealey Was Crowned Miss Winston

In 1993, Sealey was named Miss Winston and majored in Psychology at the University of North Carolina while working as a model. Her title as Miss Winston saw her serve as a spokesperson for Winston Cup sponsors at NASCAR races, leading to her and her future husband's meet-cute.

Described as a "NASCAR fairy tale," Sealey and her ex-husband were both 21 when they met, and her role as Miss Winston saw her shoulder the responsibility of handing over the trophy at the Daytona 500 to the winner.

It was Sealey's ex-husband's first Daytona 500, and luck proved to be on his side as he won. Alongside taking home the win, Sealey's ex-husband's prize included sharing a kiss with her as Miss Winston per racing customs. Sealey shared:

"It was Valentine's Day, and he asked me out for lunch, and we've been together ever since."

Brooke Sealey and Jeff Gordon Had to Keep Their Romance a Secret

It was love at first sight for Sealey and the professional racer. However, there were strict rules about drivers dating the beauty queen. Thus, the couple had to keep their relationship under wraps. According to reports, fellow driver Kyle Petty once caught Sealey and her ex-husband on a date.

However, the couple managed to keep their relationship out of the spotlight until they announced their engagement. Once they broke the news of their relationship, Sealey and her ex-husband were inseparable.

Gordon and Sealey were headed for a six-day trial before a settlement was reached and saw the dramatics surrounding their divorce affect the professional racer's career.

Sealey spent several weekends on the road with her ex-husband and was there when he hopped into his race car and when he hopped out. Sealey and Gordon tied the knot a year after meeting on Thanksgiving weekend in Charlotte.

Brooke Sealey and Her Ex-husband's Divorce Began Affecting Him on the Race Track

After a few years of marriage, Sealey filed for divorce in February 2002, and it was revealed that she was seeking the former couple's mansion in Florida and a significant share of her ex-husband's millions in career earnings.

Sealey also admitted the reason behind the former couple's separation and their marriage "irretrievably" breaking was due to ex-husband's "martial misconduct."

Court filings revealed the race car driver estimated his worth to be just shy of $50 million and his 2001 earnings at over $18 million. Sealey argued that her ex-husband was worth more than that, to which her ex-husband contended he should not have to split the couple's estate as he risked his life to earn it.

Gordon and Sealey were headed for a six-day trial before a settlement was reached and saw the dramatics surrounding their divorce affect the professional racer's career. A settlement was reached after a 12-hour, court-ordered mediation session, which saw Sealey leave the marriage with at least $15.3 million.