Conservative is the word of the weekend for Jennifer Jo Cobb as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Martinsville Speedway for Saturday’s Kroger 250.
The driver of the No. 10 Driven Ford F-150 will be making her first start at the shortest track on the NASCAR circuit, and hopes to come out of the weekend with a respectable finish.
"You talk about Martinsville (Speedway) and you're talking about horsepower and brakes,” the Kansas City Kansas native said. “It's basically two drag strips with a U-turn at each end. We're fortunate enough to have Roush/Yates Engines in our F-150s, so we have the horsepower all taken care of. The brakes will really be up to me to manage. It will be a new experience for me.”
But don’t let the lack of experience or the conservative attitude get confused with confidence; that’s something Cobb definitely does not lack.
“I went there with another team last year and stood in one of the corners with a veteran driver. I learned a ton,” Cobb said. “I know how important it is to drive conservatively, especially early on. I saw so many drivers charge the corners too hard and lock up the brakes. I think saving your brakes early will be what pays dividends later on.”
After being swept up in an accident at the season opener in Daytona and finishing 34th, Cobb is coming off a respectable 21st place finish at Atlanta and hopes to continue an upward climb.
“As they say, 'If you want to finish first, first you must finish.'” Cobb said. “Since we wrecked at Daytona, we need to finish these next few races. We'll probably be a little more conservative this week than we will be later in the year because this is a program we want to build over the long term.”
That long term building continues this weekend at Martinsville for Jennifer Jo Cobb as she continues her quest for Raybestos Rookie of the Year Honors and gains valuable experience for the future.
“Martinsville is definitely a place where there will be beating and banging and side-by-side racing. I'm looking forward to that,” Cobb said. “At the same time, if I need to give a little then I'll give a little. The next time we race there will probably be a whole different story, but as I'm learning and getting more comfortable with the track, I'm not going to push the issue too much."
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