# NWES 2018 – SEASON Jennifer Jo Cobb joins NWES at Valencia
The grid of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season opener at Valencia gets every day more competitive and international: American NASCAR driver Jennifer Jo Cobb will be on the NWES grid in Spain to drive the #10 Racing Total Chevrolet in the ELITE 2 Division.
“I have always wanted to be part of NASCAR on an international level and the fact that the Euro series exists is amazing,” said Cobb, who will also contend for the Lady Cup.”I am glad that NASCAR is expanding to so many other countries outside of the U.S. and I hope that we see more drivers from around the world in our series in the U.S. and that more of our drivers get these great opportunities.”
“We are very happy to welcome Jennifer to race Euro NASCAR ! said NWES President-CEO Jerome Galpin, “We are convince ladies have a bigger role to play in Motorsports and we hope Jennifer can lead the way to many other talented girls to join Carmen Boix Gil and Arianna Casoli to compete in our Lady Cup !”
Very experienced driver and team owner in the United States, Cobb took part in 154 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and 30 NASCAR Xfinity races. The Kansas City native met Racing Total’s owner Hubertus Heyman and his wife Regine at NASCAR’s final race of the 2017 season in Homestead-Miami and the project to bring her to Europe was immediately put in motion.
“I was racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in Homestead-Miami and my truck was having engine problems. When I climbed out of the truck in the garage area Regine and Hubertus were standing nearby. We started talking and they told me they were team owners in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. I expressed interest in racing in the series and told them that if there were ever an opportunity, I would love to race with them,” explained Cobb. “They are really the ones who went to work to make this a reality and I am very grateful for them.”
For her first outing in the European NASCAR series, Cobb expects gain valuable experience and bring solid results to the German team.
“I am very excited and nervous because I want to do well for my team. My road course racing experience is limited to just two tracks,” said Cobb. “It is important to for me to respect the equipment and my competitors. For my first race a top-10 finish would be a great goal. It is hard to know what to expect with so many unknown factors but I’d love to dream big and think about a podium finish. No matter what happens, I hope to return to the NWES later in the year to improve upon whatever this race brings.”
Cobb will join German driver Justin Kunz at Racing Total. The 20-year-old moved to the German team for his third season in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and will pilot the #46 Chevrolet in both divisions in Spain.
“It’s amazing to represent Germany not just as driver but as a whole German team. The team spirit is perfect and I enjoyed working on the car during the winter with our guys,” said Kunz, who finished sixth in points in 2017 in ELITE 2 with 1 top-5 and 9 top-10s. “My goal is to win my first race and I really look forward to meet Jennifer and work with her on track.”
The first event of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season will take place at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain for the fifth consecutive year. The season-opening green flag will drop on April 14 at 1:30 pm CET.
Credits: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series / Stephane Azemard