INDIANAPOLIS -- Former IndyCar driver and now team owner Sarah Fisher has been a fan favorite for years, but she's using her fame to work toward a cure for a devastating disease.

Just within the last year, Fisher gave birth to a baby girl, notched her first win as a team owner and earned a prestigious honor from the racing world as the Professional MotorSport World Expo's Team Principal of the Year.

Few things are more important to Fisher than IndyCar, but family and friends trump the sport, and when her dear friend and team member, Carey Hall, was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, Fisher stepped into action.

Racing has always been a family affair for Fisher, RTV6's Chris Pisano reported.

"I think I was interested way before I even came out into the world. My family was really into racing the sprint cars and midgets and those kind of cars, so I was born into the lifestyle," Fisher said.

Fisher proved herself early, becoming well-known in a sport dominated by men. She was named most popular IndyCar driver in three consecutive years from 2001 to 2003.

She set the track qualifying record at Kentucky Speedway in 2002 at more than 221 mph, for which she won pole position. In 2008, she became the first female owner/driver in IndyCar history when she and husband Andy O'Gara started Sarah Fisher Racing.

Fisher also met Hall in 2008.

"Carey's been part of our team since the very start in 2008. His Hall's Motor Sports did all the painting on our cars, and then Carey became our fueler, so he was an over-the-wall guy for us," she said.

At age 40, Hall, a married father of three, can no longer walk and can barely speak. He relies on his wife, Carla, to be his voice. They run a body shop together, and they were together in January 2010 when he was diagnosed with ALS.

"A lot of people, you say, 'ALS,' they don't know. Then you say, 'Lou Gehrig's disease,' and they say, 'baseball player?'" Carla Hall said.

There is no cure for ALS, and it's always fatal.

"I've heard of ALS before, but never really touched it with my own personal experience until Carey," Fisher said.

Fisher was motivated to help the fight to find a cure because as part of her team, Hall was now family.

"I'm not a scientist. I can't come up with a cure, but I certainly can help with any of their fundraising activities and bringing awareness to the disease in general," Fisher said.

Fisher organized a big fundraiser at O'Gara's Irish Pub in Beech Grove, raising more than $25,000. She put an ALS Association logo on her cars and uniforms and joined Hall for media interviews.

There was no mistaking Fisher's presence at the Walk to Defeat ALS in Indianapolis. Normally, she would have been at the walk with Hall and his team, but it took place in September, an exciting month for her.

"I delivered Zoe Sept. 13, and since then, my life has changed for the better," she said.

Fisher, her husband and Zoe were in Kentucky when Sarah Fisher Racing got its first win last month.

Though Hall can't travel the circuit anymore, he's still part of the team.

"He actually came over to the house the other day and sat outside … and held Zoe," Fisher said. "He's part of the family."

Fisher laughed when asked if she would ever get behind the wheel again, saying she couldn't rule it out completely but doubted it. The death of Dan Wheldon and the birth of her daughter have given her some pause.

Fisher was quick to point out that she believes IndyCar is safe and will become safer with the new car designs, but her priorities are different than before.

More Information:

Carey’s Hope

Sarah Fisher Racing

ALS Association Indiana Chapter