Racing Wives is the latest show on the radar for stock car racing fans. However, while it looks like there’s some footage of the track in the trailer, the show is less focused on the actual racing. It follows the lives of the spouses of five professional racecar drivers, including Ashley Busch, through their daily lives.

It’s the perfect blend for someone who likes reality television with a bit of racing action sprinkled throughout. Just like their husbands, each member of the cast is successful and career-driven, even owning or co-owning their own businesses. Today, we’ll be focusing on Ashley Busch, the founder of Monarch Reign and wife of Kurt Busch.

Professional life

Ashley Busch is also a racer at heart, but she prefers riding on the back of a horse than in the cockpit of a stock car. Being an equestrian is quite common in her hometown of Middlesburg, Virginia, and Ashley was drawn to horseback riding at just five years old. After six years of riding, she eventually discovered the sport of polo.

Polo is a sport played on horses, where the riders use clubs to hit a ball through the opposing team’s goalpost.  Ashley was prepared to focus her life on horse shows, but once she took a polo class on a whim, she found a new passion. It’s traditionally known to be a “gentleman’s sport”, but this didn’t stop her from immersing herself in the game. Ashley has shown herself to be a natural on the field, leading her team to victory in numerous competitions across the world. 

She has garnered many accolades due to her success. She became one of the U.S. Polo Association’s global brand ambassadors. She also played at the Sentebale Polo Match, a charity game held by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Ashley Busch’s Husband

In late 2014, Ashley’s sister introduced her to NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, who currently races in the Monster Energy NASCAR series. Kurt was in town racing for the 2015 Sprint Unlimited competition. He comes from a family of racecar drivers: Kurt’s father, Tom Busch, won several NASCAR-sanctioned races in the past, and Kurt’s brother Kyle, who is often competing in the same races as Kurt.

After almost two years of dating, the couple announced their engagement in August 2015. They would later be married in 2017. This was also the year that Kurt won the Daytona 500. Ashley says they both go to each other’s matches when they have the chance.

Swimwear

Ashley Busch also accomplished a personal milestone is 2017. She launched Monarch Reign, a luxury feminine swimsuit line. The brand uses the monarch butterfly in its logo, which Ashley believes to embody the delicate appearance of her clothing while still inspiring confidence in those who wear it. Each outfit is made from high-quality, eco-friendly materials and designed to give customers the most accurate fit.

Charity

Ten percent of Monarch Reign’s profits go towards organizations dedicated to clean water initiatives, such as Planet Water. Ashley also hosts many charity polo competitions to raise money for those in need. She has supported the Children’s National Health System, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and more. Ashley says that giving back to those less fortunate was one of the fundamental lessons her parents taught her as a child. 

What is she like on Racing Wives?

Ashley says that while she is a fierce player on the polo field, she’s actually very mellow in person. She’s close friends with Samantha Busch, her sister-in-law and wife of Kurt’s brother Kyle. You can see both of them on the show, which airs every Friday on CMT.