Michael Cope (poet)
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Mike Cope (born May 8, 1962) is an American former
stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...
driver. A two-time champion of the NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series, he also competed in the
NASCAR Busch Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level NASCAR Cup Series, Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a Undercard, support ...
and
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock car racing, s ...
. He is no relation to
Daytona 500 The Daytona 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series motor race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is the first of two Cup races held every year at Daytona, the second being the Coke Zero Sugar 400, and one of three ...
winner
Derrike Cope Derrike Wayne Cope (born November 3, 1958) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He is best known for his surprise win in the 1990 Daytona 500. He last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet ...
.


Early career

Mike began his NASCAR career in 1989, competing in the
Slim Jim All Pro Series The NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series was a NASCAR-sanctioned amateur/semi-pro late model stock car racing series based in the Southeastern United States. The series was formerly known as the Slim Jim All Pro Series; it was founded i ...
, a regional touring series centered on the southeastern United States. He won two series championships, in 1994 and 1996, as well as being voted Most Popular Driver three times. In addition he won the prestigious
Winchester 400 The Winchester 400 is a 400-lap short-track super late model stock car racing, stock car race held each fall at the Winchester Speedway, a half-mile long paved oval motor racetrack in Winchester, Indiana, Winchester, Indiana, United States. Held ...
three years in a row, from 1993 to 1995.


NASCAR touring series

Cope made his debut at the major-league NASCAR level in 1996 in the
Busch Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...
at the
Milwaukee Mile The Milwaukee Mile is a oval race track in the central United States, located on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin, a suburb west of Milwaukee. Its grandstand and bleachers seats approximately 37,000 spectat ...
. Driving the No. 58 he finished 25th, three laps down. In 1997 he attempted to move full-time to the
Craftsman Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock car racing, s ...
, driving the No. 15 for
Billy Ballew Motorsports Billy Ballew Motorsports was a team that competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. They were formed in 1996 by Georgia businessman Billy Ballew. The team's car numbers are 09, 15, and 51. Fasscore Motorsports In 2003, Ballew began runn ...
. His first race was at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he finished 22nd. He ran in five other races over the course of the year before being released from his contract, with a best finish of 12th at
New Hampshire International Speedway New Hampshire Motor Speedway (formerly known as the New Hampshire International Speedway from 1989 to 2007, the Bryar Motorsports Park from 1965 to 1989, and as the 106 Midway Raceway from 1961 to 1964) is a oval track in Loudon, New Hampshire ...
. In 1998 he attempted to move full-time to the Busch Series, driving the No. 30 for
Team 34 Cicci Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is owned by Frank Cicci of Elmira, New York and was last driven by Jay Sauter. Beginnings FCR first began racing as a short ...
. Running in 17 races, his best finish was 7th at
Hickory Speedway Hickory Motor Speedway is a short track located in Hickory, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most storied venues, and is often referred to as the "World's Most Famous Short Track" and the "Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars". The t ...
, however inconsistent performance led him to be released by the team following the series' race at
Myrtle Beach Speedway Myrtle Beach Speedway (originally named Rambi Raceway) was a Short track motor racing, short track located on U.S. Route 501 near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The track was built in 1958. The speedway was a semi-banked Asphalt concrete, asphalt ...
, being replaced in the No. 30 by
Todd Bodine Todd Martin Bodine (born February 27, 1964) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 62 Toyota Tundra for Halmar Friesen Racing, and is curre ...
. Cope ran a single race in the Craftsman Truck Series in 1999, at
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway (track complex formerly known as Las Vegas Speedway Park from 1993 to 1996, Las Vegas Speedway in 1992, Las Vegas International Speedway from 1990 to 1992, as the Las Vegas International Speedrome from 1972 to 1990) is a ...
where he finished 14th, before once more attempting the full series schedule in 2000 for Impact Motorsports in the No. 86, with sponsorship from
R.C. Cola RC Cola (short for Royal Crown Cola) is a carbonated cola beverage owned in the United States by Keurig Dr Pepper and internationally by RC Global Beverages, Inc. History In 1901, the Cole-Hampton-Hatcher Grocery Store was established in Col ...
. Despite the team having had good performance the previous year with
Stacy Compton Stacy Marshall Compton (born May 26, 1967) is an American NASCAR former team owner and former driver. He is a former co-owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia in the Craftsman Truck Series and is a former racing analyst for ESPN full-time. Before ...
driving, Cope struggled, posting a best finish of 12th in six races with the team, that coming in the first race of the season at
Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, about north of Orlando, Florida, Orlando. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race ...
. At the seventh race of the season, at
Gateway International Raceway Gateway Motorsports Park (currently known as World Wide Technology Raceway for sponsorship reasons) is a motor racing facility in Madison, Illinois, just east of St. Louis, close to the Gateway Arch. It features a oval that hosts the NASCAR Cu ...
, Cope did not accompany the team to the track; he was subsequently released, being replaced in the No. 86 by
Scott Riggs Russell Scott Riggs (born January 1, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the 92 for RBR Enterprises in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Racing career Early career Riggs was born in Bahama ...
.


Post-NASCAR career

Following his departure from Impact Motorsports Cope moved to the
American Speed Association The American Speed Association (ASA) is a sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States formed in 1968. The Association was based in Pendleton, Indiana, Pendleton, Indiana, and later in Daytona Beach, Florida. The ASA sanctioned asphalt a ...
, starting his own race team in
Hudson, Florida Hudson is a census-designated place (CDP) located at the westernmost end of Pasco County, Florida, United States, and is included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, Hudson's p ...
and running the No. 25 Chevrolet with sponsorship from Manheim Auto Auctions. He ran in the series, building and driving his own cars, through 2005 when he retired, planning to focus on the racing career of his son, Travis Cope as driver, competing in Super
Late Model Late Model stock car racing, also known as late model racing and late models, refers to a type of auto racing that involves purpose-built cars simultaneously racing against each other primarily on oval tracks. This type of racing was early-on ...
events. Mike cope racing presently fields 5 cars in SCCA pro Trans am 2 road racing with multiple wins and pole awards. And in 2013 Mike Cope became an authorized chassis builder for the TA2 series.


Track Owner

In 2001 Mike bought
Bronson Motor Speedway Bronson may refer to: People * Bronson (name) Places in the United States * Bronson, Florida * Bronson, Iowa * Bronson, Kansas * Bronson, Michigan * Bronson, Texas * Bronson Township, Michigan * Bronson Township, Ohio * Lake Bronson, Minnesot ...
, a paved
oval track Oval track racing is a form of motorsport that is contested on an oval-shaped race track. An oval track differs from a road course in that the layout resembles an oval with turns in only one direction, and the direction of traffic is almost univ ...
located west of
Gainesville, Florida Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States, and the most populous city in North Central Florida, with a population of 145,212 in 2022. It is the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area, Florida, Gainesv ...
which he owned and operated for ten years before selling the track in 2011.


Motorsports career results


Busch Series


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cope, Mike Living people 1962 births People from Pinellas Park, Florida Sportspeople from Pinellas County, Florida Sportspeople from the Tampa Bay area Racing drivers from Florida NASCAR drivers American Speed Association drivers