Stratus Racing Group
Encyclopedia
Stratus Racing Group a raceteam that fields NASCAR Sprint Cup cars for co-owner/driver Derrike Cope
. Gary Keller and Dale Clemons also have a stake in the team Cope is the 1990 Daytona 500
champion. The team began fielding Cup cars in 2007 with little success. They have attempted some races in 2009 with Cope driving each time with sponsorship from FlipNBags.com and Blu Frog Energy. The team has yet to make a Cup race despite their efforts.
, Nationwide, Truck, and Cup Series. The team will field cars in all levels in 2010 including two ARCA teams and Nationwide and Truck teams. The Sprint Cup effort will be part time in 2010 but it will increase in 2011.
In the Truck Series, Cope and nieces Angela and Amber Cope will run limited schedules. The sisters made their first starts in 2010 in the Truck Series at Martinsville
. Angela ran the #01 Odyssey Batteries Dodge Ram
and Amber in the #6 Dodge Ram with the same sponsors. Angela finished 30th and Amber 26th.
In the past, Stratus has fielded trucks in the Camping World Truck Series. Larry Foyt
and Jennifer Jo Cobb
has each ran one race for the team in 2009.
The team also fields two cars in the NASCAR Nationwide Series under the name of Derrike Cope Inc. In 2009, the team has run the #73 and #78 cars for Cope, Kevin Lepage
, and Chase Miller
. The team also attempted to run a third car, #79, at Kansas Speedway
for Jennifer Jo Cobb. The team missed the race, in fact only Lepage's car qualified out of the three. Former drivers for this effort include Larry Gunselman
, Kertus Davis
, Jason White
, and Johnny Sauter
.
In their first competition of the season. Derrike Cope finished 24th in the Bud Shootout.
in the Nationwide Series. Cope also is entered in the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington. Cope has changed manufactuers from Dodge Charger
to Chevrolet Impala
. He was forced to withdraw from Darlington when the engine on his MAXcellence Chevrolet when his engine did not have enough power. Cope hopes to be ready for the Sprint Showdown. Cope entered for the Bank Of America 500 at Charlotte, but withdrew after practice. Cope entered for the Goody's Fast Releif 500 at Martinsville, but was sent home because of rain.
Derrike Cope
Derrike Cope is a NASCAR driver. He is best known for his win in the 1990 Daytona 500. He currently drives the #28 Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing in the Nationwide Series and the #75 Chevrolet/Dodge for his own team in the Sprint Cup Series.-Early years:Cope was born in San Diego, California...
. Gary Keller and Dale Clemons also have a stake in the team Cope is the 1990 Daytona 500
1990 Daytona 500
The 1990 Daytona 500 was run on February 18, 1990.-Race review:Ken Schrader won the pole with a speed of . In the Thursday Gatorade 125-mile qualifier, he crashed on the last lap and had to use a backup car on Sunday. He quickly passed several cars at the start. By the first caution flag, Schrader...
champion. The team began fielding Cup cars in 2007 with little success. They have attempted some races in 2009 with Cope driving each time with sponsorship from FlipNBags.com and Blu Frog Energy. The team has yet to make a Cup race despite their efforts.
Organizational changes
On December 14, 2009, Cope and Keller partnered with Dale Clemons to form Stratus Racing Group in the ARCAAutomobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...
, Nationwide, Truck, and Cup Series. The team will field cars in all levels in 2010 including two ARCA teams and Nationwide and Truck teams. The Sprint Cup effort will be part time in 2010 but it will increase in 2011.
In the Truck Series, Cope and nieces Angela and Amber Cope will run limited schedules. The sisters made their first starts in 2010 in the Truck Series at Martinsville
Martinsville
Martinsville is the name of several places:in Australia:*Martinsville, New South Walesin Canada:*Martinsville, Saskatchewanin the United States of America:*Martinsville, Illinois*Martinsville, Indiana*Martinsville, Missouri*Martinsville, New Jersey...
. Angela ran the #01 Odyssey Batteries Dodge Ram
Dodge Ram
The Dodge Ram is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks...
and Amber in the #6 Dodge Ram with the same sponsors. Angela finished 30th and Amber 26th.
History
Stratus Racing Group was previously called Cope/Keller Racing and Derrike Cope Inc. in Nationwide.In the past, Stratus has fielded trucks in the Camping World Truck Series. Larry Foyt
Larry Foyt
Larry Joseph Roberds Foyt is a semi-retired NASCAR and IndyCar driver. He is the biological grandson and adopted son of A. J. Foyt, and a biological cousin of A. J. Foyt IV. His biological mother is Terry Lynn Foyt, daughter of A. J. Foyt, who divorced his biological father Larry Gene Roberds...
and Jennifer Jo Cobb
Jennifer Jo Cobb
Jennifer Jo Cobb is a race car driver and team owner. She has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series along with the ARCA Remax Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. She drives the 13 Ford Mustang for her own team Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing in the Nationwide Series-History:She started...
has each ran one race for the team in 2009.
The team also fields two cars in the NASCAR Nationwide Series under the name of Derrike Cope Inc. In 2009, the team has run the #73 and #78 cars for Cope, Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #52 car, for Jimmy Means Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Lepage is the only NASCAR driver from Vermont to qualify for the Daytona 500.-Early career:...
, and Chase Miller
Chase Miller
Eldon Chase Miller is a NASCAR Nationwide Series driver from Canton, Georgia. Chase graduated from Sequoyah High School...
. The team also attempted to run a third car, #79, at Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
for Jennifer Jo Cobb. The team missed the race, in fact only Lepage's car qualified out of the three. Former drivers for this effort include Larry Gunselman
Larry Gunselman
Larry Gunselman is an American former race car driver. He has made a total over 100 starts and over 2 million in earnings in all three of NASCAR's top divisions...
, Kertus Davis
Kertus Davis
Kertus Davis is a NASCAR driver. He is currently the competition director for JD Motorsports.- Prior to NASCAR/USAR :...
, Jason White
Jason White (NASCAR)
Jason White is the driver for the #23 GunBroker.com Chevy Silverado for Joe Denette Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He has been racing in NASCAR since 1999.-Beginnings:...
, and Johnny Sauter
Johnny Sauter
Johnathan Joseph Sauter is a NASCAR driver from Wisconsin. Sauter is the son of former NASCAR driver Jim Sauter, and the brother of NASCAR drivers Tim Sauter and Jay Sauter...
.
2010
Stratus will be sponsored by Connectyx Technologies Holdings Group Inc for the select Nationwide and Truck races in 2010. The drivers will be Derrike Cope (Nationwide) as well as Angela and Amber Cope in the Truck Series.In their first competition of the season. Derrike Cope finished 24th in the Bud Shootout.
2011
Derrike Cope and Stratus Racing entered the 2011 Goodys Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville, but withdrew on Thursday before practice on Friday. Derrike will not run the #73 Dodge ChallengerDodge Challenger
The Dodge Challenger is the name of three different generations of automobiles marketed by the Dodge division of Chrysler.The first generation Dodge Challenger was a pony car built from 1970 to 1974, using the Chrysler E platform and sharing major components with the Plymouth Barracuda. The second...
in the Nationwide Series. Cope also is entered in the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington. Cope has changed manufactuers from Dodge Charger
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is an American automobile manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler. There have been several different Dodge vehicles, built on three different platforms and sizes, all bearing the Charger nameplate...
to Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
. He was forced to withdraw from Darlington when the engine on his MAXcellence Chevrolet when his engine did not have enough power. Cope hopes to be ready for the Sprint Showdown. Cope entered for the Bank Of America 500 at Charlotte, but withdrew after practice. Cope entered for the Goody's Fast Releif 500 at Martinsville, but was sent home because of rain.