Mellencamp’s estranged wife Elaine Irwin dating Jay Penske

Recording artist John Mellencamp and his wife Elaine Irwin Mellencamp arrive at the 2007 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Mortons in West Hollywood, California.

John Mellencamp's willowy soon-to-be ex-wife, Elaine Irwin, is helping herself get over their marital split by dating wealthy media mogul Jay Penske, 32. Sources tell us Irwin, 41 — the face of Almay — and Penske have "been seeing each other quietly for a few months."

Los Angeles-based Penske is the CEO and founder of MMC, a digital media and publishing company which owns and operates Nikki Finke's Deadline.com, movieline.com and Bonnie Fuller's HollywoodLife.com. He is the son of racing driver Roger Penske and now owns his own racing team. Elaine and rocker John split in January after 18 years of marriage and have two teenage children. John immediately started dating Meg Ryan.

The source added, "Despite Elaine being a little older, she and Jay have been quietly seeing each other for a while as she has been spending more time in Los Angeles. But it is still early days." Reps for Irwin and Penske didn't get back to us. NY Post