KCK’s Jennifer Jo Cobb avoids trouble to finish 24th in Nationwide race

Kansas City, Kan., native Jennifer Jo Cobb was hoping for a career-best finish Saturday at the NASCAR Nationwide Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.

Instead, she settled for another solid performance with a 24th-place finish.

“I absolutely love racing here in Kansas City,” Cobb said. “It’s such exciting week to come back here between the Royals, the Chiefs, the Kansas Speedway and the American Royal.”

Cobb narrowly missed her best-ever Nationwide finish — 22nd in the October 2012 race. She finished 26th in this race last year.

Starting 38th, Cobb knew it might be an uphill battle, but she climbed up the standings by avoiding trouble, including the race’s nine cautions.

“My rhythm was fine, but the cautions were happening right in front of me, so they tested my cat skills,” she said. “But we came out of it relatively unscathed.”

Cobb will enjoy a few days off at home before finishing up the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. She currently sits 16th overall in the standings.

“I’m staying at home sweet home until Thursday,” she said.

Spins continue during Sprint Cup practice

Sprint Cup drivers weren’t immune from Kansas Speedway’s wrath Saturday.

Kurt Busch spun out in the final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice session Saturday on his fifth lap, tearing through the Hollywood Casino 400 logo on the infield after he got loose coming out of turn four.

Alex Bowman later scraped the wall in the final session, which Kyle Larson won with a fast lap of 28.377 seconds (190.295 mph).

Clint Bowyer, an Emporia, Kan., native, had the afternoon session’s sixth-fastest lap.

Meanwhile, Marcos Ambrose had the day’s fastest lap in the first practice session Saturday of 28.176 seconds (191.652).

Jamie McMurray, a Joplin, Mo., native, turned in the second-fastest lap during the morning session, while Carl Edwards, a Columbia native, had the fourth-best practice lap in that session.

Dillon wins Nationwide pole

Ty Dillon won the pole for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kansas Lottery 300, his third pole of the season in 41 races.

It’s the first Kansas Speedway pole for Dillon, who ran a fast lap of 29.357 second at 183.943 mph.

He started in the top 10 for the 19th time this season next to Ryan Blaney, who qualified second for his 11th top-10 start of the season.

Baby gifts for Bowyer

Before the Nationwide race, Kansas Speedway president Pat Warren presented Clint Bowyer with a couple of presents for his son, Cash Aaron, who was born Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C.

Warren gave Bowyer a pedal car with sweet flames on the front and a baby blanket that read “My parents’ favorite track is Kansas Speedway” with the name Cash embroidered underneath.

This story was originally published October 4, 2014 at 7:18 PM with the headline "KCK’s Jennifer Jo Cobb avoids trouble to finish 24th in Nationwide race."