by James Callahan

Created on: March 09, 2010   Last Updated: March 11, 2010

Standing out on the balcony of New Smyrna’s Diamond Head Condominium, the Intracoastal winds its way past inlet and island, over shoal and under bridge. As NASCAR racer Jennifer Jo Cobb looked north, a peaceful expression passed over her face.

"I have loved it here,” she said. “It's far away enough from the track so you don't run into any other drivers or crews, and it's just beautiful, a great escape."

She chooses Diamond Head as her hideaway, placing her well off the beaten track.

In 2010, Cobb announced she would run full time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, after purchasing the assets of the No. 10 truck team from Rick Crawford, whose Circle Bar Racing downsized from a two-truck operation to one. The rookie of the year competitor will race in 25 to 30 Truck Series events this year, as well as race in the ARCA Re/Max Series, and Nationwide Series.

The 36-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, native also represents a line of clothing created for female race fans called Driver Boutique, as well as hitting another type of circuit — she is a motivational speaker.

"There are a lot of lessons in racing that parallel life and business," said Ms. Cobb. "I speak about learning to live with life's ups and downs. You have to keep a positive attitude, and leave yesterday where it is."

Ms. Cobb finished 17th in the ARCA this past race week, moving way up from the starting 42nd position. But Cobb’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Daytona International Speedway was cut short last Saturday, after her No.10 Ford F-150 was caught up in wreck on the very first lap.

Staring at a multiple-vehicle pile-up directly in her high-speed path and nowhere to go, the temporary New Smyrna Beach resident’s F-150 sustained significant right-side damage. She was unable to return to the track. Ms. Cobb finished the Next Era Energy Resources 250 in 34th place.

“It’s a shame that things ended the way they did,” said the racer and spokesmodel, “because we have a great truck here.” Reflecting back, she tried to piece things together. “You know, I thought I had it cleared.” She continued, “The track was completely covered. My strategy was to get to the bottom, stay at the bottom, and then I’d have some exit routes through the grass. I went right through the grass and about had it entirely cleared, but the 81 came down and clipped me, which I don’t think he had any control over his truck, of course. It was just one of those things."

Gathering her reserves, the Diamond Head visitor steeled herself for what lies ahead. “We’ve got a long season to go and I know that we can rebound from this. I still have a lot of faith that we’re going to have a great season. You’ve got to think that, sometimes, things don’t start out the way that you would have hoped, but it’s the end that matters.”

The motivational speaker virtually has racing in her blood. Her dad, Joe Cobb, still races at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, in the modified division. "I have wanted to be a race car driver since I was eight years old," said Ms. Cobb.

Looking north, toward the tri-oval at Daytona, the steely-eyed beauty’s resolve became as adamant as the famed rocky outcropping her condo was named after the original Diamond Head.

“I know that we’ll come back. We’ll be in Atlanta.”
That action is slated for March 6, when the Atlanta 200 gets underway at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

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