As far as Advil Ford driver Derrike
Cope is concerned, NASCAR’s Busch Series might as well be heading to a road
course this week instead of the 1.25-mile Gateway International Raceway,
just outside of St. Louis. "Well, it’s obviously not the same as a road
course," said Cope, one of a handful of drivers running the full NASCAR Cup
and Busch Series schedules this season, "but there is definitely a road
course feel to the place. I’d say guys who are usually better on road
courses will be the guys to beat at Gateway. That’s helpful but it’s not
everything. Gateway is mostly oval with that road course feel. That makes
the track different from just about everything else out there," he said.
"Handling is just about everything there. Sure, you have to have plenty of
horsepower and you have to have some ‘oomph!’ down the straightaways but how
you handle determines how well you can use that horsepower," he said. The
configuration of the track makes it challenging, but fun to drive, he said.
"The corners are very tight, and then you have the added dimension of having
to shift (gears) because of the disparity of the straightaways. That’s what
gives it that road course feel," Cope said. "The car has to turn well there
but you really need to get off the corners well. To do that, you use a
shorter gear and then shift going down the straightaways."
Jay Robinson, who owns the team and fields the Advil Ford from his Jay
Robinson Racing shop just outside of Charlotte, knows the importance of
running well. "The St. Louis area is obviously a pretty big market, and one
of the biggest markets the Busch Series runs in," Robinson said. "That makes
it important for Advil and all of our sponsors. Obviously, national
television is pretty important too, but this is the only chance we get at
Gateway this year, so we want to make it count.
The Advil Ford, one of two cars fielded by Robinson on the NASCAR Busch
Series, is not among the "high-buck" operations but you would never know by
watching the team, on and off the track. Its cars and haulers are as
high-quality as anything in the series, and both teams carry themselves as
well as any on the circuit. "You make do with what you have, sure, but we’ve
based our team on giving the sponsors as much as we possibly can," said
Robinson, who is in his fourth year as a Busch Series owner after four years
as owner-driver of a Late Model car. If I have one dollar, we make it look
like we are getting two dollars. If I have a million dollars (in
sponsorship), we make it look like we’re getting two million," he said.
"We’re in this to compete, to do the best we can week in and week out. We
want to run well and we want to win. But we know our sponsors like Advil and
Yahoo! (which sponsors Robinson’s #39 Ford on the Busch Series) are looking
for a solid return too, so we do everything we can to make it a great
experience for them. We’ve been able to develop a giant sampling program for
Advil at some race tracks, and they are getting some good positive exposure
here too," he added.
The fact Gateway is the only one of NASCAR’s top series running this weekend
is important too. "We’re the only game in town, as far as television is
concerned this weekend," Robinson said. "You have to figure the race fans
are going to tune in to this one because they love racing, and because this
is the only race they have this weekend."
Derrike talks about the upcoming race.
This file is in MP3 format.
Derrike Hurt in Practice
By Ken Roberts of the Post-Dispatch
NASCAR Busch Series driver and former Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope was
injured in a crash Saturday morning at Gateway International Raceway. Cope,
45, of Spanaway, Wash. who pilots the No. 49 Jay Robinson Racing Ford
Taurus, slammed into the wall on the driver's side in turn three during a
practice session on the 1.25-oval in Madison. Safety workers cut the roof
off Cope's car to remove the injured driver, who was momentarily knocked
unconscious by the accident. Cope was wearing a head and neck restraint
(HANS).
Busch Series spokesman Rick Houston said Cope "was awake and aware" when he
was airlifted to St. Louis University Hospital. When he arrived at the
hospital, Houston said Cope was "awake and alert and responding
appropriately." He was in stable condition after reportedly suffering a
concussion. He will be kept overnight for observation.
NASCAR officials immediately impounded the vehicle and covered it with a
tarp. They were carefully inspecting the engine compartment and cockpit for
any obvious mechanical problems.
Cope, the 1990 Daytona winner, was practicing for Saturday night's Charter
250 when the throttle reportedly stuck while entering turn three, causing
the car to spin 180 degrees. It went up the track and hit the wall, smashing
the driver's side of the car from front to back. "It would be speculation to
say why, or how or what caused the crash," Houston said. "But we are looking
into the accident."
Robinson Racing used Josh Richeson, 22, of Davidson, N.C., to drive the
team's backup car.
Thanks to
bgnracing.com for
the photos
Derrike Cope shook off a rough weekend
and is ready to go in the #49 Advil Ford in Friday night's Funai 250 NASCAR
Busch Series race at the .750-mile Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
Cope was taken to a St. Louis, Mo., hospital following a crash in practice
Saturday at Gateway International Raceway. Though his injuries were
diagnosed as minor, he was held a few hours for observation and released
Saturday evening, about the time of the start of the race. Josh Richeson
substituted for Cope, driving the Jay Robinson-owned car.
"It was 'Praise the Lord and pass the Advil,'" Cope said. "The brakes didn't
burn in the way I thought they had. They locked and spun me around, and I
hit the wall there pretty hard. I'm grateful everything turned out okay, but
I'm ready to get back in the car. You never know how easy you have things. I
wanted a good run at Gateway, and didn't get to drive at all. I thought it
was going to be bad enough watching the race on television Saturday night
but the hospital didn't have cable. I was on a flight anyway, so missed
hearing any of it. Believe me, I'd much rather have been driving," he said.
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