NASCAR driver Jennifer Jo Cobb has been ordered to pay $850,000 in damages following an affair with a married man, Clayton Odie Hughes. The ruling came after Hughes' wife, Tracey, sued Cobb for alienation of affection and criminal conversation under North Carolina's "homewrecker law."
A pivotal piece of evidence presented in the lawsuit was the testimony of private investigator Jim Rorie. Hired by Tracey Hughes to track her husband's movements, Rorie reported hearing "rambunctious" sexual activity from Cobb and Hughes' hotel room in Martinsville, Virginia, in October 2020. Rorie described hearing "the squeaking of the bed, quite a bit of that, female tones moaning — and occasionally a male’s voice," adding that he heard the female exclaim, "Don’t stop."
Rorie testified that he used a tracking device on Clayton Hughes' vehicle and subsequently booked the room adjacent to theirs at the Comfort Inn. After placing his ear to the wall, he stated there was "no doubt" about the nature of the sounds emanating from the neighboring room.
Cobb, who was separated from her then-husband, fellow racing driver Eddie Troconis, at the time of the affair, was found liable for her role in the relationship. The jury awarded Tracey Hughes significantly more than the $50,000 minimum sought in damages, finding Cobb had "willfully, intentionally, and deliberately seduced, enticed, and alienated the affections" of Hughes.
Tracey Hughes accused Cobb of destroying her marriage by contacting her husband and arranging secret meetings. She claimed to have suffered "the loss of support, injury to [her] feelings and reputation, and had her marital relationship destroyed."
Clayton Hughes was serving as Cobb's spotter and had reportedly discussed divorce with his wife a month prior to the incident, though he was still living with Tracey at the time. Cobb's defense argued that because the couple had separated in September 2020, prior to the affair, she should not be liable. However, the court determined that their separation was not legally formalized until January 2021, making Cobb liable.
Tracey and Clayton Hughes divorced in 2022 after having two sons together. Cobb and Clayton Hughes remain in a relationship. Cobb, a driver from Kansas City, retired in 2024 after a career spanning several decades.