A woman who accused former NASCAR driver Jennifer Jo Cobb of having an affair with her husband and ruining her marriage won $850,002 from a jury in Davidson County, North Carolina.
Following a three-day trial at the Davidson County Courthouse in Lexington, North Carolina, jurors ruled in favor of Tracey Hughes on September 24, according to court documents obtained by WFMY News.
Hughes was awarded $50,000 for alienation of affections and $800,000 for criminal conversation by the jury. The jurors also held Cobb liable for punitive damages on both charges, but awarded only $1 for each.
Tracey Hughes is the ex-wife of NASCAR spotter Clayton Hughes, who has spotted for drivers like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Martin Truex Jr., and Michael McDowell, as well as Jennifer Jo Cobb.
In North Carolina, criminal conversation is a law that permits spouses to file a lawsuit when someone has sex with their spouse while they are still married. Alienation of affection is a charge that spouses can bring to sue someone who causes their spouse to end the marriage.
The lawsuit claimed that “while traveling for racing competitions,” Cobb had sexual encounters with her spotter, Clayton Hughes, in North Carolina and other states and sent him sexually suggestive texts and phone calls.
Jennifer Jo Cobb denied the allegations and vows to fight the jury’s decision
Jennifer Jo Cobb denied the allegations in her response to the lawsuit. She argued that the state law permitting Hughes’ claims is unconstitutional and urged the court to dismiss the lawsuit in April 2024. A judge denied her request.
The lawsuit trial was postponed several times before finally beginning on September 21, 2025, after a deadlock at court-ordered mediation in January 2025.
Either side can still file post-trial motions, and Cobb can appeal. She vowed to continue fighting the judgment, writing on social media, “This isn’t over. The judgment has not been entered.”
Jennifer Jo Cobb’s racing and relationship history
Jennifer Jo Cobb is reportedly married to, but currently separated from, former NASCAR crew chief and driver Eddie Troconis, who was Cobb’s crew chief in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2012, then called the Xfinity Series.
According to reports, Cobb was seeing spotter Clayton Hughes when Troconis was arrested in January 2022 for attacking Hughes. Clayton Hughes was allegedly hit in the head by Troconis, who then repeatedly kicked Hughes in the head and torso from behind. Troconis was suspended by NASCAR at the time and, following a jury trial, found guilty of felony assault.
Jennifer Jo Cobb competed in 265 races across NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series between 2004 and 2024. Her only top-10 finish came on February 18, 2011, during the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway, when she finished sixth.