For many years, Monica Palumbo was the face of Miss Sprint Cup. She was the smile, she threw around the trophy, she was the one Tony Stewart would kiss. In many ways, the 2012 Sprint Cup season will be different without the familiar faces of Palumbo and Paige Duke in black leather at the edge of the road. But the old Miss Sprint has moved on to other opportunities and callings, this time she’ll be joining the Ace & T.J. radio show full-time as it returns from a 6-month hiatus to the airwaves of Charlotte.  She’s listed on the cast as the Fill-In Girl. “Funny, smart & adorable…Just like the rest of us.”

Ace & TJ ended a 13-year run at WNKS-FM (“Kiss 95.1”) after a contract dispute with CBS Radio. The show carried on for a bit, as it’s syndicated through 14 stations across the Southeast. Palumbo replaces Guenn Peterson, who stayed under contract with CBS Radio and jumped to share a morning show with Todd Baker on WKQC-FM (“K” 104.7).

Before becoming Miss Sprint Cup, Palumbo enjoyed a varied entertaining career since graduating from high school in 1999. The next year, as a musical theatre major at East Carolina University, Palumbo entered the Miss North Carolina USA pageant in 2000 and won. She represented her state in the 2001 Miss USA contest where she won miss Congeniality. And since the contest coincided with the film “Miss Congeniality” starring Sandra Bullock, Warner Brothers brought on Palumbo to help promote the film. Ironically, Bullock also happened to be a former East Carolina University student as well.

Palumbo afterward served as a substitute co-host for an episode of “Live! With Regis and Kelly” when Kelly Ripa was out on maternity leave and began to pursue acting in 2003. However, after a few roles in reality television nothing really materialized thus prompting her to return home. But then she found her calling in 2007 while hosting the Bobby Labonte display at NASCAR races. In 2008, NASCAR made her one of the original members of the Miss Sprint Cup squad. After several memorable seasons, she’s now moved on but it still seems she may appear on a few more motorsport shows.

You can follow up on Monica Palumbo’s new gig, and the Ace and TJ show here.

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