Cope Family Racing
Cope Family Racing is an American professional stock car racing team owned by Derrike Cope. Based in Mooresville, North Carolina, the organization fields the No. 70 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and traces its roots to a racing operation opened in 2001.
Cope Family Racing Overview
Cope Family Racing operates in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and will campaign a Chevrolet Camaro SS under the No. 70 banner. The team is family-owned and managed by former NASCAR driver Derrike Cope and has been known under several names over its history, including Quest Motor Racing, CFK Motorsports, Creation-Cope Racing, Cope/Keller Racing, Stratus Racing Group, and Derrike Cope, Inc.
Founding and Organizational Origins
The organization originally opened in 2001 as Quest Motor Racing with Derrike Cope as the team’s driver and co-owner alongside drag racer Warren Johnson. The early operation aimed to compete in NASCAR national series with a compact budget and used Cope’s driving experience to build race programs and equipment.
During its early years the team frequently adapted its identity and partnerships to remain competitive. Sponsorships and short-term alliances were a regular part of the team’s business model, shaping how the shop, personnel, and initial race infrastructure were assembled and operated.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
Cope Family Racing expanded into NASCAR national series by fielding entries across the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series (previously the Nationwide Series), the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and ARCA. The team’s Cup activity included sustained attempts in the early 2000s, and the organization later focused resources on Xfinity and part-time Truck and ARCA efforts.
Key organizational moves included mergers and partnerships that provided owner points, equipment, and pooled resources. Notable alliances in the 2000s and early 2010s allowed the team to contest a broader range of events despite periodic underfunding.
Cope Family Racing Competitive Journey
Across more than two decades the team moved between series, car numbers, and ownership structures while aiming to sustain entries at the national level. Its competitive journey includes initial Cup attempts in the early 2000s, a sustained Xfinity program in the mid-2010s, multiple Truck Series starts, and ARCA appearances.
Early Seasons and Development (2001–2004)
Cope Family Racing began competition in 2001 with the No. 37 program; the team attempted its first races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and then expanded into Cup attempts in 2002 and 2003. In 2003 the team ran the No. 37 Friendly’s Ice Cream Chevrolet for much of the Winston Cup schedule but faced budget constraints and qualifying challenges.
Late in 2003 the team engaged in a merger with Arnold Motorsports that combined equipment and owner points; the arrangement briefly improved qualifying prospects and resulted in a start at the Daytona 500. Following that period the organization repeatedly reorganized to preserve its presence in national events.
Breakthrough in NASCAR Cup Series (2002–2011)
The team’s Cup operations were intermittent but notable for persistence. After making its Sprint Cup debut in the 2002 Coca-Cola Racing Family 600 at Charlotte, the organization continued to attempt races through the early 2010s under several names and in partnership with other teams. Cope’s Cup program experienced frequent DNQs but did log multiple race attempts and occasional runs in marquee events.
Operationally the Cup effort illustrated the limits of small-team budgets against larger competitors and highlighted the role of alliances and mergers in maintaining a presence at the highest level of NASCAR competition.
Breakthrough in Xfinity Series (2008–2016)
The team entered the Nationwide/Xfinity Series on a part-time basis beginning in 2008 and expanded into a full-time No. 70 effort for the 2014 season after purchasing assets from ML Motorsports. That full-season program used the Chevrolet Camaro and carried sponsors such as Charlie’s Soap and Youtheory across the year.
In 2014 Derrike Cope recorded the team’s best result that season with a 13th-place finish in the Firecracker 300 at Daytona and concluded the year 23rd in driver points. The team struggled with sponsorship and qualifying consistency in subsequent seasons, finishing 37th in owner points in 2015 and later partnering with JP Motorsports for a 2016 campaign that included multiple drivers and DNQs at key events.
Truck Series and Development Program (2001–2010)
Cope Family Racing and its related iterations fielded entries in the Truck Series beginning with a debut in 2001 at Texas and ran multiple trucks and drivers intermittently in the late 2000s. The organization also provided competitive opportunities for family members, with Derrike Cope’s nieces Angela and Amber Cope making Truck Series starts in 2010 at Martinsville and recording 30th and 26th-place finishes respectively.
The team’s truck and ARCA activity served as a development platform for drivers and crew while supporting the broader multi-series strategy of the organization.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025–Present)
After closing before the 2017 season, the organization announced a return to NASCAR competition under the Cope Family Racing name with confirmation in January 2025. The revived program will field the No. 70 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and plans to use equipment sourced from Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines.
Thomas Annunziata and Leland Honeyman were announced as drivers for the No. 70 in 2025, and the team intends to debut at Daytona in February with Honeyman at the wheel. The relaunch signals a renewed focus on technical alliances and reestablishing a consistent national presence.
Engineering Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Cope Family Racing’s technical approach emphasizes partnerships and equipment-sharing to maximize competitiveness for a small, family-run organization. The announced use of Richard Childress Racing assets and ECR Engines underscores a strategy of leveraging established supplier relationships to field a prepared entry in the Xfinity Series.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Major moments in the team’s history include its founding in 2001 as Quest Motor Racing, the 2003 merger with Arnold Motorsports that secured Daytona 500 starting opportunities, the 2014 acquisition of ML Motorsports assets and a full-time Xfinity program, and the 2025 relaunch using RCR and ECR equipment. The team’s best Xfinity result in the modern era came in 2014 with a 13th-place finish at Daytona.
Cope Family Racing Achievements and Results
Across its documented national series history the organization has compiled more than 200 national series starts but has not recorded a national series victory or drivers’ championship. The verified totals reflect a long-running commitment to fielding entries across NASCAR’s top developmental and national series.
Cup Series Achievements
Cope Family Racing made its Sprint Cup Series debut at the 2002 Coca-Cola Racing Family 600 at Charlotte and contested multiple Cup events through the early 2000s and into the following decade under various partnerships. The team has not recorded a Cup Series win or championship in its documented history.
Xfinity Series Achievements
The team’s most sustained success came in the Xfinity Series, highlighted by a full-season No. 70 entry in 2014 after acquiring ML Motorsports assets. The program’s top result that season was a 13th-place finish at the Firecracker 300 at Daytona and it finished 23rd in driver points for 2014. No Xfinity Series wins or championships are recorded for the team.
Truck Series and Development Program Success
Cope Family Racing and its related entities fielded multiple truck entries and provided competitive starts for developing drivers including Angela and Amber Cope. The team has not recorded a Truck Series win or championship but used Truck and ARCA entries to broaden driver opportunities and support its national series operations.
Verified cumulative totals from the team’s documented history list 214 total national series starts across Sprint Cup, Xfinity, Truck, and ARCA competition, and show zero recorded wins, poles, or drivers’ championships in those series.
