2004 Busch Season Updates

	2004 Busch Season Updates
	These are various updates throughout the season on Derrike Cope's racing.

Homestead Update
November 22, 2004 - We spoke briefly with Derrike this morning regarding the Busch outing this past weekend. Derrike commented, "Last week I had the flu most of the week and into the weekend. In the preparation for the Ford 300 Busch race we had some brake issues at first, but were able to get our speed up for qualifying. Nevertheless, we still had to use a provisional to get into the field for race day. We were successful in staying on the lead lap, with the help of a lucky dog or two. Actually, I felt that we had a top twenty car. The team kept improving the ride until we blew the engine.

"We ended up twenty seventh in points for the season in Busch. Overall, I felt we had a good effort. We will take some time now to access the past year and recoup on all fronts."

Phoenix and Darlington Update
November 15, 2004 - Derrike gave us an update for the past couple weeks. He said, "As for the Advil Ford we practiced pretty well but did not adjust enough for the changing weather conditions and qualified poorly and had to take a provisional. The car got very loose. The race did not go too bad although the car was too tight to start with but later in the race we ran pretty well.

"As for this past weekend, Darlington did not go well in Busch. Obviously the weather washed out qualifying but we started 25th in the Busch race. I hit the wall in the race so we finished 30th. We were running 24th when I made the mistake in turn 3. Hope all goes better in Homestead."

Memphis Update
October 25, 2004 - Derrike updated us with the following information concerning this past weekend's race. He said, "We had a number of problems with the car leading up to and throughout practice which led to minimal practice time. Our qualifying effort was less than I had hoped for. We decided to skip Happy Hour practice to go through the Advil Ford to see if we could find any problems.

"When the race started we were not too bad, a little tight in the middle of the corner, and a little loose off. We made a few changes and were able to stay on the lead lap while doing so. We later got into an altercation with a chain reaction crash when a car ahead of me hit another and a car hit me from behind when I slowed which tore up the front end of the car. We battled with fixing the car so as not to overheat. The crew guys did a great job keeping us on the lead lap and keeping the car competitive. But, we had an engine problem later that ended our day. I assume it was the same thing that has hurt us the last few races, a rocker arm and then a valve problem.

"Atlanta is next on the agenda. I am looking forward to going there as it is one of the places I really like."

Charlotte Update
October 19, 2004 - Derrike updated us with his comments about this past weekend in Charlotte. "As for the Busch car, I got a great lap in qualifying and made it in the field with the Advil Ford. The guys did a great job there as well. As for the race we encountered a few problems but was having a decent run until late in the going when I thing it broke a valve and ended our night. But off to Memphis this weekend and try and do better. I have only been to Memphis to test in a Cup car so this will be my first race there!"

Kansas City Update
October 11, 2004 - Derrike spoke to us recently about the Busch race in Kansas City. "The Kansas race did not go as planned or at least as we would have hoped. We took a car that we have not run this year. Right off the truck the car performed relatively well, but the cars tendencies were to be loose in handling. The weather conditions were cloudy all through practice and we were still on the loose side. But while waiting to qualify the sun appeared and the track heated up. I should have made some air pressure changes and elected not to because we had already made some changes to the chassis, but it was not enough. The car was extremely loose in qualifying which forced us to use a provisional starting spot. When the race started we were too tight with setup, but then broke a rocker arm in the engine. We had to go behind the wall for repairs, which the guys performed really quickly, and allowed us to pick up 10 spots or so. The car ran pretty well after we fixed the engine."

Richmond Update
September 13, 2004 - Earlier today we spoke with Derrike regarding last weekend’s Busch race at Richmond. "Last weekend was one of those weekends that you would like to forget. We had difficulty getting our Busch car through inspection. When we got out for qualifying we had some rear end camber issues and the car was really loose. Happy Hour practice was cancelled and we guessed at the race setup and missed. We weren’t successful in tightening the car up during the race. I was disappointed for our sponsor Advil."

California Update
September 8, 2004 - Looking back on last week's California races, Derrike shared the following during a conversation earlier today. "Needless to say, it was a difficult weekend all the way around. We were able to qualify the Advil #49 Ford on speed in spite of running on only seven cylinders. We changed the engine for the race and missed Happy Hour practice. As a result we guessed at our race setup. We improved the handling of the car as the race progressed. Unfortunately, we had a spark plug wire come off and didn't get a caution where we could fix it under yellow. To make matters worse I got burned from the extreme heat in the seat during the race."

Michigan Update
August 23, 2004 - Looking back on last weekend's race Derrike commented, "Rain washed out qualifying for both races. Considering that we had no practice our Advil Ford ran pretty well. Early on we had a spark plug wire come off. We took care of that, but picked up another problem that limited us to running on seven cylinders the rest of the day. Had this not occurred, we clearly had a top twenty car. Actually, this was our best handling Busch car this year."

Colorado Update
August 2, 2004 - Reflecting on Saturday's race Derrike commented, "Obviously our weekend was a disappointment. We had difficulty getting through inspection. Also, we had some brake issues that took a lot of time to resolve. The bottom line was that as a result we had limited practice and had to take a provisional for the race. Because of some other mechanical issues we didn't get on the track for Happy Hour. Right after the green flag in the race we picked up an engine vibration and quickly the engine froze up. We will put all that behind us as we go to Indy for Saturday's race. Let's hope that we had our run of bad luck at Pike's Peak."

Loudon Update
July 26, 2004 - Earlier today Derrike summed up Saturday's effort in Loudon, New Hampshire. "We had some mechanical problems that cut into our practice time. However, the car drove pretty well. We ran a new engine for us. Our problem in qualifying was that we qualified early and with the sun out we were really loose. As there wasn't a happy hour practice, we guessed at the race setup and were really loose at the start of the race. Actually, we were moving up on a pack of cars in front of us when the motor tightened up and broke."

Derrike and the #49 Advil Team will be in Denver this weekend for the Goulds Pumps/ITT Industries Salute to the Troops 250. "We are looking forward to a good run Saturday for Advil," Derrike commented. "I have never been to Pike's Peak International Speedway. We are looking forward to Saturday's race and are planning to put together a good run."

Chicago Update
July 20, 2004 - Derrike informed us of what happened in Chicago after he went for a little vacation with his father. He said, "As for Chicago, we had another decent qualifying effort for the Advil Ford. When the race started we were just way too tight and the car would not turn. We went a lap down and then got a caution. We then made some adjustments and got the car to start to be more productive when the engine tightened up. Evidently we had a piece of something go through the very bottom of the radiator and lost all the water and lost the engine. Not what we were hoping for but we will forge ahead to Loudon this weekend and then we will be off to Pikes Peak for the next Busch race."

Daytona Update
July 5, 2004 - Derrike gave this recap of Friday night’s Busch race at Daytona. "Due to the rule changes for Daytona we concentrated on race setup. As a result, in qualifying we took a provisional. In the race we were riding along in the early going. We got into the thick of things on a restart. Traffic backed up in front of us and we were caught up in an accident. As a result we had extensive damage to the car. We were able to make enough repairs to allow us to come back on the track for a few point laps prior to going behind the wall for the finish of the race. That effort improved our finish by a couple of positions. We clearly had a top twenty car had we not been caught up in the accident."

Alan Kulwicki 250 Update
June 28, 2004 - Looking back on Saturday’s twenty second place finish Derrike commented, "Initially we had two difficulties that limited us to only two practice laps for qualifying and no practice in race setup. We had an engine miss and also had a throughout bearing go out in the clutch assembly. The team worked hard to rectify both of these issues prior to qualifying. Nevertheless, we made the race on speed. We had a good setup for the race considering that we didn’t practice in race trim. At first we were too free in the throttle and tight in the middle of the turns. However, the team did a good job of adjusting the car throughout the race. I’m looking forward to being behind the wheel of the Advil Ford again this weekend at Daytona."

Nashville Update
June 15, 2004 - Derrike summed up the run at Nashville last weekend as follows. "All things considered, we had a decent effort. After we wrecked our primary car in practice we went to a backup and had little practice and didn’t run in Happy Hour. Nevertheless, we were pleased to make the race on speed. That was a positive for us. In the race the car worked pretty well. Due to our lack of practice, we weren’t sure what we’d have, but the team did a super job in making changes during the race. We would have had a top twenty finish had we not run out of gas as the race was winding down. Overall, we had a good effort in the Advil Ford."

Dover Update
June 9, 2004 - Derrike updated us on the Dover Busch race. He said, "We had a decent finish for the Advil Ford. We did not run as good as I had hoped. We just missed on the setup a bit and really never caught up with it. We did however move up in points a spot so that is good. We just need to put finishes on the board each week and try to get better. I am looking forward to going back to Nashville this weekend where we did not run good because of a number of issues. So I hope we can redeem ourselves and have a productive weekend. Talk to you all next week."

Charlotte Update from Derrike
May 31, 2004 - Derrike updated us with this past weekend's events. "The Busch race was just a solid day. We stayed out of trouble and finally got the Advil Ford more competitive later in the race."

Nazareth Race
May 20, 2004 - Sunday’s Goulds Pumps 200 NASCAR Busch Series race at the one-mile, triangular-shaped Nazareth (Pa.) Speedway is pretty important to Jay Robinson Racing and the #49 Advil Ford team. While it is the final race at the legendary speedway, Nazareth is the closest to Wyeth headquarters in Madison, N.J. Wyeth markets Advil, which sponsors Robinson’s #49 car. Mark Green of Owensboro, Ky., will drive the Advil Ford this weekend. Derrike Cope, who had been driving, will be at the NASCAR all-star race in Concord, N.C.

“These next few races are pretty important to us for a number of reasons. Nazareth and Dover (which hosts its Busch Series race Saturday, June 5) are about as close as we get to Wyeth’s headquarters,” Robinson said. “You always want to do well in your sponsor’s backyard. Add in the fact that this is the final Busch race at Nazareth, which is a sentimental thing, and the importance of the race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (Saturday, May 29), and it’s a pretty big three weeks for us. Two backyard races for Advil, and a backyard race for Jay Robinson Racing too,” he added. “Every race is important but these are three we point towards. Of course, you throw in the fact that Nazareth is close to the fourth-largest market in the country with Philadelphia, and about 80 miles from downtown New York City, the country’s largest market, and those things alone means we want that Advil Ford running well,” Robinson added. “From a number of standpoints this is a big weekend for us.”

Robinson noted Nazareth’s rich history. “Nazareth has a tremendous reputation, a great heritage and is famous among racers," he said. “From the time I got involved in racing, I knew what was going on with Nazareth. The home of Mario Andretti, how could you not know about the area? They closed it down once before and it came roaring back to life, ”he said, referring to the speedway’s 10-year dormancy in the 1970s. The motorsports heritage and tradition is too strong in that area to think Nazareth is dead. The race fans from that area are notorious for being some of the best in the entire sport. Maybe it just needs to rest for a year or two, take a speedway-sized Advil to start feeling better, and get back on its feet. I am not convinced this is the end for Nazareth . . . just a break,” he added.

Richmond Update
May 16, 2004 - Earlier today we spoke with Derrike regarding the Busch race this past weekend. Derrike commented, "Our Busch team had a solid night. We were productive considering our brief practice and the fact that we hadn’t been able to test since the track had been resurfaced. We made the field on speed in the Advil Ford and would have had a higher finish had we not experienced voltage problems that briefly put us behind the wall during the race."

Cope Shakes Off Gateway, Heads To Richmond
May 10, 2004 - 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.

For Cope and the Advil Ford team, the return to Richmond will be important. "We lost a little continuity with the driver change but being able to get right back on the race track should help us a lot," Cope said. "Racing can be a lot like baseball – you need to do it regularly to make things work right. Having that routine is important to any race team. Running the schedule the way we do, whether it is Busch or Cup or Trucks or whatever, is helpful in a lot of ways. It helps being busy like that," he added. "You can't get too excited in either direction. You can't be too happy after a great race and you can't be too down after a bad one. You don't have the time!"

Derrike Hurt in Practice
May 8, 2004 - 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.

California Update
May 5, 2004 - From his office earlier today, Derrike commented on the past weekend’s races in California. Derrike will be signing autographs this Friday afternoon from 5:00pm until 6:00pm at the Gateway International Speedway. Looking back on the Busch run last Saturday Derrike indicated, "We had problems with the Busch car in practice. Our finish was less than desirable as we finished the race on seven cylinders. We will put that behind us and anticipate a good run at St. Louis this weekend."

Derrike will be making a personal appearance on May 24th at Knights Castle as a part of the Harris Teeter Race Fest. Also, Derrike will be at Speed Street in Charlotte from 6-8pm on May 28th.

Charter 250
May 4, 2004 - 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."

Talladega Update
April 20, 2004 - Derrike will be driving in Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 Busch race and will be piloting the #50 Arnold Motorsports Dodge in The Aaron’s 499 Cup Race Sunday at Talladega. Derrike is leaving for Talladega tomorrow and shared his thoughts regarding these high bank speedway races. "We will be driving a new car at Talladega in the cup race and it looks great. I am excited to get behind the wheel. We are looking forward to a strong showing, both in qualifying and in Sunday’s race. I am pleased with our Busch car also. I think that we have a good motor combination for Talladega. Our goal is to have a strong qualifying run Thursday and represent Advil well with a strong performance Saturday."

Texas Update
April 5, 2004 - Earlier today we spoke with Derrike and got his perspective on this past weekend’s Busch race. "In Saturday’s Busch race we were a little down on power. Texas, as you know, is a really fast track and we lacked the horses to really battle. Looking back, we had too much right rear spring in the car and as a result we were loose throughout the race. We hung on and did the best we could to finish the race. I am looking forward to a good effort for Advil in Nashville."

Bristol Update
March 30, 2004 - On the race front, Derrike shared the following regarding his run at Bristol. "In Saturday’s Busch race we were pleased with our qualifying effort. The car was snug in the race. We experienced radio problems throughout the race, causing me great difficulty hearing the spotter. As a result, I ran into the back of Johnny Benson. I hated that and tearing the car up for Jay.”

Derrike will be running in this week’s Busch and Cup races at Texas. Regarding the upcoming weekend, Derrike commented, “Texas is a fast track with a lot of grip. I like that kind of place. Running in both races gives me some extra seat time which I find to be an advantage. Hopefully, we’ll get good starting positions for both races. One thing for sure, we’ll give it our best shot.”

Texas Thoughts
March 29, 2004 - Derrike and the Advil Ford team head to the fast 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway this week for Saturday’s O’Reilly 300 NASCAR Busch Series race.

Derrike had some various thoughts heading into Texas:

"The Texas races are big for everybody. Because of the attention on the races there – from the fans, the media, sponsors – you can feel a little extra pressure to run well. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is a major market for anybody doing anything, so it’s obviously very important to the race teams. The best way to get that positive attention is running up front or near the front. We know by doing that, more people are going to see Advil than just about anything else we do. Some 200,000 people in the grandstands, another couple of million watching on national television, all of that is important to our sponsors.

"The neat thing is our goals are pretty much the same. We want to do well for Advil but we want to do well because that’s why we’re in this business. We are here to compete. Jay Robinson, Derrike Cope, the guys on our race team, we’re here to run hard and to run well. But we know by doing that, it helps Advil too. Hey, for us nothing cures a headache faster than running well. For better relief for everybody else – and us when we are not racing – it’s Advil.

"Sponsorship is what makes this whole business go. We are here to race and to compete but we know, too, that we’re rolling marketing machines. We want to expose the products for our sponsors and encourage people to buy them. Advil wants us to run well because we are marketing partners and they like us, but it all boils down to how much product they can sell through motorsports. I think some teams, all through motorsports, have lost track of that. Sponsorship isn’t determined by how many races you win; it’s determined by how well you help market the sponsor’s product.

"That’s one of the reasons I believe Jay (Robinson) has been successful. He is a businessman. He’s a racer, sure, but he is a businessman, and he keeps that businessman’s hat on when dealing with Advil or Yahoo! or Western Outlaw or Ford or whoever. He knows what it takes to make their programs successful and by utilizing that knowledge with his race teams, he has been able to make things work for everybody. This isn’t the highest-funded team out here by any means but Jay is one of the very few owners in NASCAR who can take a little and make a lot out of it. We aren’t as highly-funded as some of these teams out here but he makes sure we look like we are. We’ve run in front of a lot of multi-million dollar teams, and everything we bring to the track is top-notch. He’s pleased with the support from the sponsors but he knows how to make things first-class.

"A good run at Texas would add to that, and this team is certainly capable. We have a solid engine program and good people as far as chassis and aero work is concerned. You have to be fast at Texas, and I believe we can be fast. You have to have good racing luck too, and if life is fair, Jay Robinson and this Advil Ford team should have some good luck coming. I think we can run pretty well at Texas, and we’re excited about getting there."

Darlington Update
March 23, 2004 - Derrike gave us an update from this past weekend. "As you know by now we had a great weekend in Darlington. It started out a little poorly with the Busch Series car...the Advil Liquid Gel's Ford. We lost a head gasket in only three laps, plus we were in race trim so we had to guess on the setup for qualifying and we were very loose. We managed a 32nd starting spot and was on the lead lap running approx 28th at the time of the engine sticking a lifter and breaking a rocker arm which ended our day."

Western Hardhat International, Inc. and Jay Robinson Racing Renew Their Partnership For The 2004 NASCAR Busch Series Race Season
February 11, 2004 - Western Hardhat International, Inc. a division of DBS Management Group, Inc., announced today that they have extended their relationship to serve as an Associate Sponsor for Jay Robinson Racing’s #49 entry and driver Derrike Cope for the entire 2004 race season.

Western Hardhat International is the manufacturer of the only alternative to the normal style hard hat in the world. The “Western Outlaw”™ meets ANSI requirements and is certified by the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI). In 1998 the product was named the Safety Invention of the Year. The hard hat is available across the country from retailers like Harbor Freight, United Rentals, Ferguson Enterprises or on-line from United American Sales, Industrial Printing and T.A.S.C.O..

The “Outlaw”™ has been seen on numerous television shows like “The Today Show”, CNBC’s “Squawk Box”, and is slated to be featured on the dramatic television show “Building Bridges” and a documentary on The Discovery Channel. The February 2004 issue of internationally known fashion/style/entertainment magazine, The Face (London) features the hard hat.

The product can be viewed at the company's website at www.westernhardhat.com.

Derrike Optimistic For Daytona
January 30, 2004 - In additional to running in Nextel Cup this season, Derrike will also be running a Busch schedule piloting the Advil Liqui-Gels #49 Ford. Looking ahead to Daytona in his Busch ride Derrike observed, "We have a good Daytona car and I anticipate that we will be good at Daytona right off of the truck. Because of some issues relating to changes in the manifold rules we weren't able to test. However, I don't feel that that will hurt us. The team has accomplished a lot in the off season with improving our engine program as well as in other areas."

Advil LIqui-Gels
Derrike will be driving for Jay Robinson Racing in the #49 with Advil Liqui-Gels as the sponsor. The press release can be seen here: http://www.jayrobinson.com/news/2004/011704.htm