Derrike Cope Racing
| Owner(s) | Derrike Cope |
|---|---|
| Base | Mooresville, North Carolina |
| Series | Xfinity Series |
| Race drivers | 70. Derrike Cope |
| Sponsors | 70. Charlie's Soap, Wade Tractor/Adrenalin Power Sports, SWAE Watches, Nature Nate's Honey, Zilla Wraps, Adventureland Hotel, Moo's BBQ |
| Manufacturer | Chevrolet |
| Career | |
| Debut | 2007 |
| Latest race | 2016 Hisense 4K TV 300 (Charlotte) |
| Races competed | 55 Xfinity 19 Truck 21 Cup |
| Drivers' Championships | 0 |
| Race victories | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
Derrike Cope Racing (formerly known as Creation-Cope Racing, CFK Motorsports, Stratus Racing Group, Cope/Keller Racing and Derrike Cope, Inc) is a raceteam that fields a NASCAR Xfinity Series team for co-owner/driver Derrike Cope. Gary Keller, Dale Clemons, and crew chief Dave Fuge also have a stake in the team. The team began fielding cars in the Sprint Cup Series in 2007 with little success. They have attempted some races in 2009 with Cope driving each time with sponsorship from FlipNBags.com and Blu Frog Energy. The team has yet to make a Cup race despite their efforts. The team currently fields the No. 70 Chevrolet Camaro in the Xfinity Series for Cope.
Contents
Organizational changes
The team originally opened as Quest Motor Racing in 2001. Cope was the teams driver. During the 2003 Winston Cup season, the 37 Chevrolet attempted all 36 races, but only made half. The team was sponsored by Friendly's Ice Cream. The team made two attempts in 2008, rebranded as Cope/Keller Racing, DNQ'ing in both. The team returned part time in 2009 with sponsorship from Blu Frog Energy and Flip'n Bags.com. On December 14, 2009, Cope and Keller partnered with Dale Clemons to form Stratus Racing Group in the ARCA, Nationwide, Truck, and Cup Series. The team will field cars in all levels in 2010 including two ARCA teams and Nationwide and Truck teams. The Sprint Cup effort will be part-time in 2010 but it will increase in 2011.
In the Truck Series, Cope and nieces Angela and Amber Cope will run limited schedules. The sisters made their first starts in 2010 in the Truck Series at Martinsville. Angela ran the #01 Odyssey Batteries Dodge Ram and Amber in the #6 Dodge Ram with the same sponsors. Angela finished 30th and Amber 26th.
History
The team originally opened in 2001 with Derrike Cope driving the #37 Friendly's Ice Cream Chevrolet. Stratus Racing Group was previously called Cope/Keller Racing and Derrike Cope Inc. in Nationwide.
In the past, Stratus has fielded trucks in the Camping World Truck Series. Larry Foyt and Jennifer Jo Cobb has each ran one race for the team in 2009.
The team also fields two cars in the NASCAR Nationwide Series under the name of Derrike Cope Inc. In 2009, the team has run the #73 and #78 cars for Cope, Kevin Lepage, and Chase Miller. The team also attempted to run a third car, #79, at Kansas Speedway for Jennifer Jo Cobb. The team missed the race, in fact only Lepage's car qualified out of the three. Former drivers for this effort include Larry Gunselman, Kertus Davis, Jason White, and Johnny Sauter.
2010
Stratus will be sponsored by Connectyx Technologies Holdings Group Inc for the select Nationwide and Truck races in 2010. The drivers will be Derrike Cope (Nationwide) as well as Angela and Amber Cope in the Truck Series.
In their first competition of the season. Derrike Cope finished 24th in the Bud Shootout.
2011
Derrike Cope and Stratus Racing entered the 2011 Goodys Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville, but withdrew on Thursday before practice on Friday. Derrike will not run the #73 Dodge Challenger in the Nationwide Series. Cope also is entered in the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington. Cope has changed manufacturers from Dodge Charger to Chevrolet Impala. He was forced to withdraw from Darlington when the engine in his MAXcellence Chevrolet was tested on an engine dyno and determined to not have enough power to make the race. Cope hoped to be ready for the Sprint Showdown. When problems again plagued the team, Cope went to race for Max Q Motorsports in the 64. During the showdown race, Landon Cassill blew a tire and spun in front of Cope's Ford, causing Cope to T-bone the side of Cassill's car. Neither driver was injured.
2012
For the 2012 season, Cope changed the name of the team to CFK Motorsports. The team attempted the NNS Daytona race, but failed to make the show. Cope is also running for Robinson-Blakeney Racing. Cope also planned to enter 5-7 races in the Sprint Cup Series. Cope once again attempted to qualify at Bristol Motor Speedway, but was knocked out do to being slowest in practice and qualifying. Cope and CFK Motorsports finally made their first race in the 32nd race of the season. Cope started 36th and finished 28th.
2013
CFK returned for a part-time schedule in 2013 under the moniker of Creation-Cope Racing in a Chevy with sponsorship from MAXallence Energy. The team attempted several races with driver Derrike Cope, and only make one with Cope, a race in which they start and parked. They also ran the Mid-Ohio race with Alx Danielsson and dropped out due to a mechanical failure after 35 laps.
2014
Derrike Cope Racing competed full time in the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, driving the No. 70 Chevrolet Camaro. Cope purchased all assets from the former ML Motorsports for the 2014 season. The team tested at Daytona in January, at the annual Daytona testing event. In February, the team went to Daytona International Speedway and qualified for the Drive for COPD 300, finishing in the 37th position after some difficulties. Charlies Soap continued to sponsor the car through round number four of the season at Bristol, where Derrike finished P28. In the following race at Auto Club Speedway, the team was sponsored by Youtheory. Youtheory continued to sponsor the car full time until the final Texas race of the season. Charlies Soap came on board in the final Charlotte race as well. Derrike finished P13 at the Firecracker 300 at Daytona in the Summer, which ended up being his best finish of the year. Derrike ended the year P23 in the Xfinity Series standings.
2015
The same plans are in place for 2015, with sponsorship from Charlie's Soap.
2016
Cope announced at the end of the 2015 season that he would again run the full schedule in 2016.
