NASCAR Winston Cup CMT 300 Preview: #36, Derrike Cope
10 September 1997
#36 Derrike Cope, Skittles Pontiac Grand Prix
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
CMT 300 Advance
New Hampshire International Speedway
DERRIKE COPE NOTES & QUOTES: CMT 300
LOUDON, NH - The Winston Cup NASCAR Series heads back to New Hampshire for a
second race this season and Derrike Cope, driver of the #36 Skittles
Pontiac, looks to continue his recent success on the track during the
Country Music Television 300 this weekend at New Hampshire International
Speedway.
After a slow mid-season, Cope and the Skittles Race Team has stepped it up
a notch. In the past four races, the team has an average qualifying effort
of 17th, with their best effort of the season coming three races ago at
Bristol when Cope started ninth.
Finishes also have improved for the Skittles team, posting three top-20
finishes in the past four races. Cope ranks second among the new teams for
his average finishes of the season and second in the last five races. Joe
Nemechek in the #42 car, who has been nicknamed "Front Row Joe," leads the
new-team pack for the the last five races.
During his most recent visit to New Hampshire, Cope worked hard around the
one-mile track and advanced steadily from his 31st starting position. Early
in the 300-lap race, Cope fell victim to an accident but held on strong for
a 20th-place finish, one lap behind the leaders.
"Our finish last time at New Hampshire was not indicative of how strong the
Skittles car actually was," said Cope, whose best finish at NHIS was during
the 1995 Slick 50 300 when he finished seventh. "After repairs were made,
the car handled well and I was able to gain some positions and raced to a
fairly decent finish.
"Knowing how well the Skittles car was set up last time at New Hampshire, I
expect an even stronger finish this time," commented Cope, who just recorded
his 300th Winston Cup career start last weekend at Richmond. "I look forward
to getting in the car and running it as hard as I can.
"We had a good run at Richmond last weekend," said Cope, who climbed one
spot to 28th in the Winston Cup points standings. "The car was a little
tight but I held on and finished 16th. I wish we could have done a little
better since it was my 300th start."
Cope's Record at New Hampshire International Speedway
Best Finish: 7th; 1995 Slick 50 300
Top-5 Finishes: 0
Top-10 Finishes: 1
Best Start: 8th; 1994 Slick 50 300
Biggest Payday at NHIS: $26,600; 1996 Jiffy Lube 300
YEAR EVENT Start Finish Earnings Reason
1997 Jiffy Lube 300 31 20 26,600 Running
1996 Jiffy Lube 300 25 38 19,125 Engine
1995 Slick 50 300 23 7 26,125 Running
1994 Slick 50 300 8 35 12,000 Accident
1993 Slick 50 300 38 22 16,050 Running
By Muhleman Marketing