Creation-Cope Racing
| Owner(s) | Derrike Cope |
|---|---|
| Series | Nationwide Series |
| Race drivers | 73 Derrike Cope |
| Manufacturer | Chevrolet |
| Career | |
| Debut | 2007 |
| Races competed |
48 Nationwide 19 Truck 21 Cup |
| Drivers' Championships | 0 |
| Race victories | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
Creation-Cope Racing (formerly known as CFK Motorsports, Stratus Racing Group, Cope/Keller Racing and Derrike Cope, Inc) is a raceteam that fields a NASCAR Sprint Cup team for co-owner/driver Derrike Cope. Gary Keller, Dale Clemons, and crew chief Dave Fuge also have a stake in the team. 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. The team has had success in the Nationwide Series. For 2012, Tito's Handmade Vodka has come on as the primary for the 73 car. It is unknown if they will sponsor the cup car. Fuge is no longer the crew chief for the team.
Organizational changes
On December 14, 2009, Cope and Keller partnered with Dale Clemons to form Stratus Racing Group in the ARCA, 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.
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 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.
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 Challenger in the Nationwide Series. Cope also is entered in the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington. Cope has changed manufacturers from Dodge Charger to Chevrolet Impala. He was forced to withdraw from Darlington when the engine in his MAXcellence Chevrolet was tested on an engine dyno and determined to not have enough power to make the race. Cope hoped to be ready for the Sprint Showdown. When problems again plagued the team, Cope went to race for Max Q Motorsports in the 64. During the showdown race, Landon Cassill blew a tire and spun in front of Cope's Ford, causing Cope to T-bone the side of Cassill's car. Neither driver was injured.
2012
For the 2012 Season, Cope changed the name of the team to CFK Motorsports. The team attempted the NNS Dayton race, but failed to make the show. Cope is also running for Robinson-Blakeney Racing. Cope also plans to enter 5-7 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Cope once again attempted to qualify at Bristol Motor Speedway, but was knocked out do to being slowest in practice and qualifying. Cope and CFK Motorsports finally made there first race in the 32nd race of the season. Cope started 36th and finished 28th.
2013
CFK returned for a part-time schedule in 2013 under the moniker of Creation-Cope Racing in a Chevy with sponsorship from MAXallence Energy. The team attempted several races with driver Derrike Cope, and only make one with Cope, a race in which they start and parked. They also ran the Mid-Ohio race with Alx Danielsson and dropped out due to a mechanical failure after 35 laps.
2014
The teams plans for 2014 are to be part of the Nationwide series test session in January at Daytona. From there they plan to attempt the 2014 Drive 4 COPD 300 in February. The number of races the team plans to run is unknown and sponsor negotiations are still in the works. The team does have one sponsor lined up called Frontline Wraps. It is assumed should things go well in Daytona, CCR could run most of the races this season.