Jennifer Jo Cobb climbs points ladder to history

Jennifer Jo Cobb made history in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series over the weekend, becoming the highest-ranked female driver in the points standings in the series' history.

Following a 14th-place finish in Saturday's race at Darlington Raceway, the veteran racer gained a spot in the standings and moved up to the 16th position. This surpasses the previous mark held by Tammy Jo Kirk, who was ranked 17th during the 1997 season.

Cobb's 14th-place finish at Darlington in the No. 10 Ford F-150 ties her career-best finish in the series at Texas, garnering her two top-15s out of four top-20 finishes in 2010. Her starting position of 21st also tied her best qualifying effort this season at Kansas.

The 37-year-old is the only woman competing full-time in NASCAR's three top-tier series, and she is doing so as an owner/driver. To compete in her first full season in the Camping World Truck Series, she purchased trucks from the No. 10 team of Circle Bar Racing. She is in contention for Rookie of the Year.

Along with the challenges of competition, Cobb has encountered the challenges that come with trying to secure sponsorship. Her team does not have full backing for the 2010 season. Cobb remarked on her Facebook page that she had to cut short her second practice session at Darlington because the team had run out of tire money. Her No. 10 truck runs the logos of her clothing lines, DriverBoutique.com, which features apparel for female racing fans, and DrivenMale.com, its male counterpart.

The Kansas native also runs limited events in the Nationwide Series. Cobb and Baker Curb Racing are pooling their resources to run the four races with the new Nationwide COT this season, with Cobb driving in three of the events. When the new model made its debut at Daytona in July, Cobb was involved in a wreck on lap 7, ending her day early in the No. 27 Ford and finishing 43rd. She will be behind the wheel of the No. 27 again at Richmond on Sept. 10 and Charlotte on Oct. 15.

Cobb will have little time this week to celebrate her place in Truck Series history. The series heads to Bristol for a rare mid-week race on Wednesday.

For more on Cobb's season, check out her blog Cobb's Corner for weekly updates.

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Penalties issued for rule infractions at Darlington Raceway

NASCAR issued penalties Wednesday to two Sprint Cup teams, the No. 7 and the No. 55, and one Nationwide team, the No. 38, for rule violations last week at Darlington Raceway.

Sprint Cup:
The No. 7 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR required specifications); and 20-18A (unapproved additional door braces) of the 2010 NASCAR rulebook. The infraction was discovered during opening day inspection on May 7.

Crew chief Samuel Stanley has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Robby Gordon, both driver and owner of the No. 7 car, has been penalized with the loss of 25 championship driver and 25 championship owner points.

The No. 55 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1; 12-4-J; and 20-10.6B (unapproved final drive gear; incorrect tooth count). The violation was discovered during post-qualifying inspection on May 7.

Crew chief Zachary McGowan has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Driver Michael McDowell and owner Randy Humphrey have been penalized with the loss of 25 championship driver and 25 championship owner points, respectively.

Nationwide:
The No. 38 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1; 12-4-J; and 20A-12.3T (unapproved left front shock absorber) of the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rule Book. The infractions were discovered during post-race inspection on May 7.

Crew chief Stewart Cooper has been fined $10,000. Team owner Ralph Braun was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship owner points and driver Kasey Kahne was docked 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points.

- From NASCAR press releases

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Denny Hamlin Wins At Darlington

Denny Hamlin became the first driver in 17 years to sweep at Darlington Raceway. He began by winning the NASCAR Nationwide race Friday night, and by winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Saturday night after some mistakes made by Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon at the end of the race.

Hamlin lead 104 of the 367 laps Saturday night, but he knew that he had to stay around Jeff Gordon all night.

David Reutimann's spin brought out the last caution of the night, causing Gordon to make a pit stop on pit road and trying to not go a lap down. Jeff Burton also had to make a stop on pit road. That allowed Hamlin to take the lead in the final laps of the race. Burton had to make another stop in the pits and serve a penalty by running over an air hose. He then lost a lot of track position.

Then Hamlin got a very good restart against teammate Kyle Busch for the final laps of the race. This restart allowed Hamlin to sail to his third victory of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Jamie McMurray got a great finish of 2nd place. This win ties Hamlin with Jimmie Johnson for most races won this season.

Results: Showtime Southern 500

1. Denny Hamlin

2. Jamie McMurray

3. Kurt Busch

4. Jeff Gordon

5. Juan Pablo Montoya

6. Kevin Harvick

7. Kyle Busch

8. Jeff Burton

9. Ryan Newman

10. Brian Vickers

11. David Reutimann

12. Brad Keselowski

13. Matt Kenseth

14. David Ragan

15. Carl Edwards

16. Mark Martin

17. Regan Smith

18. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

19. Martin Truex Jr.

20. Kasey Kahne

21. Elliott Sadler

22. Greg Biffle

23. Tony Stewart

24. David Stremme

25. Marcos Ambrose

26. Travis Kvapil

27. Joey Logano

28. Scott Speed

29. Max Papis

30. Paul Menard

31. Sam Hornish Jr.

32. Clint Bowyer

33. Kevin Conway

34. Bobby Labonte

35. David Gilliland

36. Jimmie Johnson

37. A.J. Allmendinger

38. Robby Gordon

39. Todd Bodine

40. Michael McDowell

41. J.J. Yeley

42. Dave Blaney

43. Reed Sorenson

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5 Things to Do and See in Darlington, South Carolina

Home of Darlington Raceway

A lot of NASCAR fans tend to get caught up in raceday excitement and forget that there are other things to do around the tracks. Sometimes, race fans don't always want to just hang around the track. I have not been to or visited all of these places but many of these have been suggested by fans or natives of the towns and states or even by folks in the NASCAR industry themselves! Others have come from websites or the chambers of commerce. So sit back and take an armchair road trip with me across the circuit...

Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum- suggested by  Janet Massey Jones (SC Native)

It’s “an automotive museum that focuses on the history of Darlington Raceway and the sport of stock car racing. The museum features the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Hall of Fame about the sport of NASCAR racing- most definitely a must see history lesson of the Southern 500 memories.”

The building was officially dedicated May 2, 1965. Some of the unique exhibits housed here include the 1967 43 Plymouth of Richard Petty, the car that won 10 races that same year and Darrell Waltrip’s 1991 Chevrolet Lumina, which he crashed and barrel rolled eight times in the 1991 Pepsi 400- and walked away.

Adding a different dimension of uniqueness to the museum is the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame includes photos, memorabilia, and even interactive exhibits that give tribute to many of the great personalities in NASCAR.

Admission to the historic museum is only $5 for adults and free for children under 12. It is open 7 days a week. The best part is that it is located right at the racetrack. Find out more on their website.

Williamson Park- suggested by VisitDarlingtonCounty.org

If you’re into wildlife and nature, this is the place for you. Boasting over 300 species of plant and animal life, this park is more like a nature preserve. The preserve itself is 60 acres and even has nature trails that you can walk along to feel a little more in tune with nature.

The park is located a few blocks from historic downtown Darlington and is open from dawn to dusk. You can find directions on their website

Historic Homes Around Darlington County- suggested by VisitDarlingtonCounty.com

If history is your thing, then you might want to visit the historic dwellings and buildings around Darlington county. Several homes, churches, and other buildings in Darlington have been listed in the National Register of Historic places. Take a stroll through the streets of Darlington or Hartsville and view some of the many beautiful, historic buildings. Some of them are open seasonally for tours.

You can view a list of the historic sites on the National Register of Historic Places website.

On a related note, you can also visit the Darlington County Historical Commission.   The building was commissioned in 1937 as a jail by Franklin D Roosevelt. It now serves as a home to county archives and genealogical records. Admission is free and it is open 5 days a week. More information, including the address, can be found on their website.

Myrtle Beach- suggested by Janet Massey Jones and Gavin Robb

In the mood to hit the beach and soak up some sun on your NASCAR vacation? The city of Myrtle Beach is located just about a 2 hour drive from Darlington, SC.

Just like most tourist towns, there are plenty of things to do while you are there. If you’re into recreation, the Myrtle Beach website has a fabulous list of places to visit for swimming, sports, and playgrounds for the kids. If shopping is more your thing, you can visit this website for a guide of the best places to shop. Into tourism? There’s a list of events around the city on the Myrtle Beach website as well.

Don’t forget the beaches! If you want to just go and lay around, enjoying the beach, then you should  visit Huntington Beach State Park.. They house 133 campsites, picnic areas, various activities, and even a castle! Myrtle Beach State Park has 350 campsites, cabins, picnic shelters, a fishing pier, and even hiking trails. To find out more information about visiting either beach, you can go to VisitMyrtleBeach.com or visit the South Carolina state parks website.

Bizarre- Roadside Attractions in South Carolina- suggested by RoadsideAmerica.com

Have you ever seen a lobster race? How about visited a nuclear bomb plant? No? Well, maybe you’ve always wanted to visit the museum of the Button King? If you’re taking a road trip through South Carolina, you can step into the world of oddball roadside attractions.

There’s nothing specifically in Darlington but there are a lot of attractions scattered throughout the state for your viewing pleasure. For instance, Bethune, SC, houses the only bridge in the world that crosses the same river three times and does not fork! In Bishopville, you can view a unique and whimsical topiary garden or enter the interesting world of the Button King. Or step into a completely other world at the UFO Welcome Center in Bowman.

Whatever your whim, if you’re into the offbeat, strange, funny, or just plain weird, Roadside America has something for you wherever you want to go. To view a list, map, and addresses of the roadside attractions, check out the South Carolina map.

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Photo credits: www.DarlingtonRaceway.com

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