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