BIO

Birthdate: November 3, 1958
Birthplace: San Diego, California
Marital Status: Single
Children: None
Residence: Mooresville, NC

A Daytona 500 winner and one of a handful of drivers in the history of major league stock car racing with multiple race victories, Cope appeared headed to a career in major league baseball. Turning down inquiries from the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs during his high school days in Spanaway, Wash., Cope instead opted to accept a scholarship to Whitman College.

While playing ball for Whitman in 1978, Cope turned to chase a wild pitch and his knee collapsed. The media collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments were severed. For a catcher, it was a terminal injury. During the recovery, Cope helped his brother with a race car. His father was an engine builder for some of the top teams in NASCAR Winston West competition, and that involvement led to a greater interest on Cope's part. He began driving, and starring in Winston West competition.

Top NASCAR Team Owners had their interest piqued by the young phenom on the West Coast. Team owners, Jim Testa and Dave Fuge, brought Cope to the Winston Cup Series in 1988. Showing considerable talent, Cope moved to a team owned by New Englander Bob Whitcomb in 1990.

It was a year in which Derrike Cope would shock everyone in the motorsports world - except his own team - by winning the Daytona 500. Holding onto second place most of the day, Cope outclassed everyone except Dale Earnhardt throughout the race, leading several times. But when Earnhardt's car cut a tire in the third turn of the final lap, Cope took advantage and vaulted to the lead to win the race.

Derrike Cope backed up the victory a few months later, winning the 500 mile event at Dover, Delaware's Monster Mile; one of the most grueling races in The NASCAR Winston Cup Series. In fact, it was so grueling that NASCAR and track officials later cut 100 miles off of the event, making it 400 miles. In 1993, one of NASCAR's legends called on Cope. Cale Yarborough asked Cope to drive for his team, and the Washington native accepted the call.

In 1995, Bobby Allison brought Cope into his stable. The driver moved to MB2 in 1997, its initial year, and then gave Bahari Racing its most prestigious years in 1998 and 1999. Bud Moore, one of NASCAR's winningest car owners, brought Cope into his stable in 2000. In 2001, Cope and Warren Johnson formed Quest Motor Racing, the team which fielded the successful #37 Friendly's Chevrolets in 2003. In the past couple of years, Cope has run partial Cup schedules and in 2004 a full Busch schedule. His relationships with his teams and sponsors during this period also allowed for an affiliation with FOX Sports as a racing analyst. Cope was even able to broadcast live from tracks running events in which he had entered.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

-Inspired by his father, who is a former champion professional drag racer.
-1980 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman “Rookie of the Year” and 1983 Champion in the same series.
-2 Time Yakima, WA Speedway Track Champion
-1984 NASCAR Winston West “Rookie of the Year”
-1990 Daytona 500 Champion, First career win in only 71st start.
-Scored career first NASCAR Busch Grand National win at New Hampshire International Speedway in only third BGN start, 5/7/94.
-Career best start Winston Cup – Pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 27, 1998.
-Career best start in Busch Series- Pole at Michigan in 1994
-Finished career best 15th in Winston Cup Points (posting 2 top 5 and 8 top 10 finishes in 1995)
-Over 400 Career SPRINT CUP Starts. 

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