BIO

Twin Motor Sports is a family oriented sport. We are always on the go and ready for anything! The story section of this web site tells the exciting history and continuing story of our racing experiences.

A little bit about the history of Cope Racing. Amber and Angela's grandfather, Donald Cope, began his racing career at the age of 18. From 1955-1956, Don drag raced motorcycles. In 1957, Don and brothers, Guy and Jerry, purchased their first rear motor dragster. Then in 1958, they went to a front motor top fuel dragster. Between running their family owned business, "Cope Brothers" out of San Diego, California, Don, Guy and Jerry would work nights on the dragster so they could race at a half dozen tracks on the weekends, sometimes racing both Saturday and Sunday. Then in 1964, brothers Don and Jerry decided to move to the Pacific Northwest. They setup residence and their business in Spanaway, Washington. Because of the move, opening up their new business, and supporting a family of three children (Derrike, Darren, and Tamara), times were tough and racing was put on hold. Then in 1966, they got back into the drag racing scene. In 1970 they took the Division Six Championship in NHRA (National Hot Rod Association). Due to the many responsibilities of running a small family-owned business, Don realized that his time and energy was needed there. Therefore, the drag racing was put on hold a second time. With the nature of their business, Cope Brothers Machine Shop, Inc., they were never far from the racing scene. The Cope Family has always had a passion for racing that has carried through the generations.

In 1977, Darren Cope, Don's second son and Amber and Angela's father, began his racing debut. He drag raced his 1969 Chevy Camaro at the high school drags numerous times. Then in 1979, Don bought Darren and the guys a 1967 Chevelle Late Model Sportsman race car. They would work at night on the car and have it ready to race on the weekends. At that same time, Darren's older brother Derrike, who was away at college, was making his debut in professional baseball and was being scouted by the Chicago Cubs. Unfortunately, Derrike's baseball career was short lived due to a knee injury during a baseball game. Derrike was in for a long recovery on his knee. So he returned home. During his recovery, he began helping Darren and the guys work on the race car after work and he became interested in racing. Darren and Derrike traded off racing the car; one night Darren, the next night Derrike. After the first year of Late Model Racing, Darren decided that he had other interests, so Derrike's career began. Derrike raced on the West Coast from 1979-1985. Then in 1986, he made his move to the East Coast to race Winston Cup. It was a tough start, but with the support of a lot of people, Derrike was a success. One of Derrike's dreams was to win the Daytona 500. Then in 1990 under the sponsors name of "Purolator", Derrike made his dream come true, he won the Daytona 500.

In 1983, the third generation of Cope racing was born. Amber and Angela were born fraternal twins to Darren and Mary on August 18, 1983. The saga continues.

Go Karting

Amber and Angela Cope were nine when they noticed something peculiar under the Christmas tree. No, it wasn't a Barbie Dream House, nor was it a Nintendo game system. This gift, from their parents Darren and Mary Cope, had four wheels and a motor. It had a steering wheel and gas pedal. It had two helmets. This was a go-kart. Christmas day they went out to a large parking lot for the first time. It was very entertaining. They did not know which was the brake and which was the throttle.

Go-karting was something the twins grew pretty familiar with over seven years of go-kart racing. At first skeptical of the speeds the karts were capable of, the Cope twins learned to harness the power, becoming two of the more accomplished kart racers, male or female, in the Greater Puget Sound region.

Their parents say they are just happy that the girls had an avenue by which to burn all their energy. "They stay on the go full time, that's one thing about these girls, they won't sit still." Their competition will attest to that. Amber, who is one minute older than Angela, won the IKF Region Six Junior Piston Port Championship in 1998. She finished second in the Gold Cup circuit that year. Angela, meanwhile, won the Junior Sportsman title in the Puget Sound go Kart Association the same year. In 1999, in five Gold Cup events, Angela grabbed three poles. Both dominated at the club level.

Amber and Angela also ran a Winter Go-Kart Series out at the Bremerton Raceway.

This series taught them alot of driving technique because our weather produced rain, wind, sleet, and snow; and they drove in all of it!

Something the twins don't have in common is driving style. "Angela is very aggressive," father Darren says. "She makes more things happen. If there's a hole there she believes in going for it. If it takes her out, well, there was a hole. "Amber is more patient. She waits for something that is a good pass, and she goes for it.

Amber finishing first and Angela second in the "Junior Piston Port" class at the PSGKA gold club at their home track with friends and rivals, Patrick Daily taking third place and Gary Cline finishing fourth with the "Tony Kart" strongly dominating this class.

Amber and Angela's final year in go-karting was with great accomplishment. In the year end points at the Puget Sound Go-Kart Association Awards Banquet, Amber clinches first place champion in the "Junior Super box Class" and second place in the "Junior Sportsmen Class". Angela grabbing first place champion in the "Piston Port" and "Yamaha Light Classes". Angela also took track record speeds in the "Yamaha Light" and "Yamaha Heavy" classes. Both Amber and Angela received Sportsmanship Awards.

Amber and Angela's accomplishments in their seven years of driving go-karts include 50 first place wins and setting on pole position 20 times in the Pacific Northwest. Angela also set new track records at five of six tracks in the same region. Not only did they learn to drive go-karts, but they also achieved endurance, discipline, and self esteem in a sport which is now growing in female attendance.

Late Model

Amber and Angela's first year driving a late model race car definitely had its ups and downs, but it was somewhat expected. They were all learning, the driver's, pit crew, Mom, and sister Ashley too! Our expectations our first year was to drive the car and get as much seat time and experience as possible. Our ultimate goal was to finish each race.

Sponsor, State Fair Brand Corn Dogs, gave the Twin Motor Sports racing team a terrific start. Amber and Angela drove a Chevrolet Monte Carlo late model car to 18 races throughout the Northwest. Both Amber and Angela took three top ten finishes each.

Even though both girls have very different driving styles, they continued to tackle the challenges of each track they drove. The most difficult part about their first year of driving, was that they had to share the car. There would sometimes be three weeks before one of them would get back into the seat, losing precious learning time. Over all performance, it was a great first year for the twins. We discovered that they had to overcome an ill-handling racecar. The car was always loose for girls to drive. Making it very difficult to put the throttle down and drive off the corners without the car trying to come out from underneath them. Amber and Angela's first year of racing was a tough one. Realistically they got only half a year each in racing the car. We felt, as car owners that the girls needed more seat time. Therefore the 2001 race season would have to have a two car race team. 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Go-karting
         1. Started at the age of nine
         2. Started in 1992 - 1999
         3. Classes that we participated in: Dap, Yamaha, Jr. Piston Port, Jinca,
         4. Yamaha Light & Yamaha Heavy
         5. Ran all over the Northwest series: Tri-cities, Mountain Highway, Wenatchee, Portland, Medford, & Spokane  

Championships/ Performances
         1. Fifty first place wins
         2. Twenty pole positions
         3. PSGKA gold cup winners
         4. Junior sportsman class champions, Piston Port champions, & Yamaha Light champions.
         5.  Setting track records at five of the six tracks in the region  

Late Model
         1. Started at the age of fifteen
         2. Started in 2000 - 2004
         3. Ran in the Super Late model series division
         4. Ran all over the Northwest series:
                     South Sound Speedway 3/8 mi
                     Evergreen Speedway 5/8 mi
                     Yakima Speedway ½ mi
                     Spokane Raceway Park ½ mi (high bank)
                     Wenatchee Super Oval 3/8 mi
                     Tri-Cities ½ mi
                     Canada Sun Valley Speedway ½ mi (high bank) 

Championships/ Performances
         1. Thirty Five top ten finishes
         2. Twenty three top five finishes
         3. Four feature wins
         4. Five pole positions
         5. Track Record Holder  

Arca Remax
         1. Angela raced at Berlin on 7/15/06. Finishing twenty-second
         2. Amber got approved at Lowes Motor Speedway through the Fast Track driving school on 7/21/06.
         3. Amber got laps at Gateway 7/29/06 & Chicagoland 8/29/06
         4. Tested at Hickory and Caraway Speedway
         5. Angela raced at the Milwaukee Mile 8/25/06
         6.  Amber raced at Toledo, Ohio 9/2/06  

Lynn St. James Driver Development Program
         1. November 2005 Evaluation Program
         2. Mental/Physical Skills
         3. Pr Skills
         4. On Track Evaluation