Cope Family Racing Overview
Cope Family Racing is an American professional stock car racing team competing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Founded in 2001 and based in Mooresville, North Carolina, the team operates Chevrolet race cars under a partnership between Derrike Cope, Kevin Cope, and Stanton Barrett. Known for fielding the No. 30 Chevrolet Camaro SS in conjunction with Stanton Barrett Motorsports, the organization has competed across multiple NASCAR series, including the Sprint Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, the Camping World Truck Series, and the ARCA Racing Series. Despite a long presence in the sport, the team has not recorded a race victory or a drivers’ championship at any national level.
The team is recognized for its family-driven identity, frequent co-ownership transitions, and many rebrands over the years. It originally opened as Quest Motor Racing before evolving through names such as Derrike Cope Inc., Cope/Keller Racing, Stratus Racing Group, Creation-Cope Racing, and CFK Motorsports. After closing before the 2017 season, the organization returned to competition in 2025 under the Cope Family Racing banner.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Cope Family Racing began in 2001 when Derrike Cope, a veteran of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, partnered with drag racer Warren Johnson to form Quest Motor Racing. The team initially prepared a No. 37 K&N Filters Pontiac for Cope to drive, although that car never made a race. The early operation was built around Cope as the lead driver and co-owner, with a modest budget compared to the well-funded Cup teams of the era.
The team’s identity quickly became tied to Cope’s family. Members of the Cope family, including his nieces Amber and Angela Cope, later raced trucks for the organization. Kevin Cope joined the ownership structure as the team matured, while frequent business partners, including Don Arnold of Arnold Motorsports in 2004 and Doug Keller of Cope/Keller Racing in 2008, helped keep the program active through periods of limited funding.
From its earliest days, the shop prioritized small-scale operations, owner-driver efforts, and short bursts of full-time competition. That approach defined the team through its first decade, as it attempted races with limited sponsorship, worked to qualify for marquee events, and occasionally merged with other organizations to preserve owner points and equipment.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
The organization entered national NASCAR competition in 2001 with a Craftsman Truck Series debut at Texas Motor Speedway, fielding the No. 37 Ford for Damon Lusk. It expanded to the Sprint Cup Series in 2002 at the Coca-Cola Racing Family 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Nationwide Series debut followed in 2008 at Kentucky Speedway, and the ARCA Racing Series debut came later that year, also at Kentucky. Over time, the team built a broad footprint across all major NASCAR touring series.
Early programs relied heavily on alliances with other small teams. A 2004 merger with Arnold Motorsports produced a No. 50 Dodge that allowed Cope to make the 2004 Daytona 500. Later partnerships with Keller, Dale Clemons, and others led to the formation of Stratus Racing Group in late 2009, expanding operations across the ARCA, Nationwide, Truck, and Cup Series.
The team also developed several family members and short-term drivers, including Amber Cope, Angela Cope, and a rotating list of pay drivers and specialists such as Timmy Hill, Dexter Stacey, and Jennifer Jo Cobb. Technical alliances evolved alongside the personnel, eventually including a 2025 partnership with Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines when the team returned as Cope Family Racing.
Cope Family Racing Competitive Journey
Cope Family Racing has built a long but winless résumé across NASCAR’s national and regional series. Across 214 documented race entries, the team has yet to record a victory, a pole position, or a championship at any level. Its competitive journey has been defined by perseverance, frequent rebrands, and a willingness to align with multiple technical and ownership partners to remain on the grid.
Early Seasons and Development (2001–2007)
The team opened in 2001 with Truck Series activity at Texas, then moved into the Winston Cup Series in 2002 with a No. 37 Ford Taurus. A No. 38 GEICO Ford for Kevin Lepage also ran the 2002 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. The Cup effort expanded modestly in 2003, when the No. 37 Friendly’s Ice Cream Chevrolet attempted most of the 36-race schedule, making 18 events on a limited budget.
Sponsorship volatility shaped those early seasons. After losing Paramount Hospitality Management heading into 2004, Cope merged with Arnold Motorsports and ran a No. 50 Dodge for the Daytona 500, finishing 30th after a crash, and later notched a fifth-place qualifying run at Darlington before the partnership dissolved. The team continued in fits and starts through 2007, using a combination of owner points, family drivers, and small sponsorship deals to remain competitive.
Breakthrough in NASCAR (2008–2016)
The team’s biggest competitive expansion came in 2008, when it rebranded as Cope/Keller Racing and entered the Nationwide Series full-time with a No. 73 Dodge, running drivers such as Larry Gunselman, Kertus Davis, and Kevin Lepage. That same year, the team entered the Cup Series with a No. 75 Dodge, the Truck Series with Nos. 73 and 74, and ARCA with a No. 70 Dodge for Amber Cope. The broad schedule established the team as a multi-series operator.
Stratus Racing Group, formed in December 2009 through a partnership with Doug Keller and Dale Clemons, became the umbrella organization for the team’s Cup, Nationwide, Truck, and ARCA efforts. Angela and Amber Cope made their Truck Series debuts in 2010 at Martinsville. The organization fielded multiple cars per series, with sponsorship from companies including Blu Frog Energy, Connectyx Technologies Holdings Group, and MAXallence Energy.
In 2012, the team was renamed CFK Motorsports and began a part-time schedule. It attempted the 2012 Nationwide Series Daytona race but failed to qualify, then made its first race of the season in the 32nd event, with Cope finishing 28th. The 2014 season brought another full-time Nationwide effort under the No. 70 Chevrolet Camaro, acquired from ML Motorsports. Cope ended the year 23rd in owner points, with a best finish of 13th at the summer Daytona race. Sponsorship from Charlie’s Soap, Youtheory, and Ice-Aid supported the program through 2016, when the team announced it would not return for 2017.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025–Present)
The team returned to NASCAR in January 2025 as Cope Family Racing, fielding a No. 70 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series with Leland Honeyman and Thomas Annunziata as drivers. The reactivated program formed alliances with Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines for technical support. The 2025 effort marked the team’s first full-time national-level activity since 2016.
In 2026, the organization entered a new partnership with Stanton Barrett Motorsports, renaming the joint effort Barrett–Cope Racing. The No. 70 car was renumbered to the No. 30, a number Stanton Barrett Motorsports previously ran in 2007 and 2008. On January 5, 2026, Argentinian driver Baltazar Leguizamón was announced as the team’s first driver for selected races at Circuit of the Americas, Martinsville, and Watkins Glen, sharing the car with other drivers to be determined.
The current operation is anchored by the family ownership group of Derrike Cope, Kevin Cope, and Stanton Barrett, along with Chevrolet as its manufacturer partner. The Mooresville, North Carolina, shop continues to serve as the team’s base, supporting the No. 30 program and its supporting fleet of historical car numbers, which have included 14, 17, 37, 38, 68, 70, 73, 74, 75, 78, 79, and 97.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Cope Family Racing has built its identity around owner-driver competition, family involvement, and resilient part-time and full-time scheduling on limited budgets. The team’s strengths lie in forming technical alliances, integrating developing drivers, and maintaining a flexible multi-car approach across NASCAR’s national series.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key milestones include the team’s 2001 Truck Series debut at Texas, the 2002 Cup debut at Charlotte, the 2004 Daytona 500 start with Arnold Motorsports, the launch of Stratus Racing Group in 2009, the 2014 acquisition of ML Motorsports’ assets, and the 2025 return as Cope Family Racing. The 2026 merger with Stanton Barrett Motorsports, forming Barrett–Cope Racing, is the team’s most recent organizational milestone.
Cope Family Racing Achievements and Results
Across its multi-series history, Cope Family Racing has accumulated 214 documented race entries without recording a win, a pole position, or a championship at the national level. The team’s record is one of persistence and longevity rather than victory-lane success, with competitive highlights rooted in qualifying for marquee events such as the Daytona 500 and fielding multi-car lineups across Cup, Xfinity, Truck, and ARCA.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Achievements
In what is now the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, the team has logged 165 entries without a win, a pole, or a title. Its most sustained Nationwide efforts came under Stratus Racing Group, CFK Motorsports, and the No. 70 program, with a best Nationwide finish of 13th at the 2014 summer Daytona race. The 2025 return under Cope Family Racing and the 2026 Barrett–Cope Racing partnership represent the team’s current chapter in the series.
Cup Series Achievements
The team’s Sprint Cup record stands at 22 entries, also without a win or a pole. Highlights include the 2004 Daytona 500 start with Arnold Motorsports, a fifth-place qualifying run at Darlington in 2004, and a 24th-place finish in the 2011 Bud Shootout. Cup activity tapered after 2016, with Derrike Cope making occasional part-time starts for other organizations such as Premium Motorsports.
Truck Series Achievements
Cope Family Racing and its predecessor organizations have made 19 Truck Series starts, highlighted by early Truck debuts in 2001 and 2002 with a No. 37 Ford and the 2010 Truck debuts of Angela and Amber Cope at Martinsville. The team has also fielded Nos. 73 and 74 trucks in partnership with Stratus Racing Group for drivers such as Jennifer Jo Cobb, Larry Foyt, and Larry Gunselman.
ARCA Racing Series Achievements
The ARCA program has produced 8 documented entries, led by Amber Cope’s debut in 2008 at Kentucky, where she started 15th and finished 38th after a crash, plus a second start that season at Chicagoland. The 2013 season featured additional ARCA activity under the Creation-Cope Racing banner, including a Mid-Ohio appearance with driver Alx Danielsson.