Kraft Foods, Inc. Gears Up for New Season

"I am excited about being affiliated with Kraft Foods," Cope commented. "It's been a long time since I've raced in the Busch Series, but I think this is a great opportunity."

Despite Cope's long and impressive Winston Cup career, he is no stranger to Busch Series racing. Cope captured the Busch Grand National Chevy 250 at Loudon, NH in 1994. This success, added to Winston Cup victories at the 1990 Daytona 500 and 1990 Budweiser 500 in Dover and over 30 top ten finishes, demonstrates Cope's ability to adapt to the different conditions in Busch and Winston Cup racing.

Mac Martin and Tim Weiss, who joined forces at the end of 1996 to form Martin-Weiss Motorsports, have both been involved with NASCAR for a number of years. Martin, who has been a team owner since 1984, has seen his teams finish in the top ten over 30 times and win two races with drivers Larry Pearson and Hut Stricklin. Weiss has been crew chief and car owner prior to joining Mac Martin and Martin Motorsports. Weiss is considered to be one of NASCAR's top crew chiefs and has worked with the likes of Todd Bodine, Johnny Rumley, and Sterling Marlin. Tim Weiss has also worked with Derike Cope in the past and Cope stated that he has "a great rapport with Weiss."

Once again, Kraft is sponsoring the "Single Best Move of the Race" award. The driver showcasing the most talent during the race will be awarded five hundred dollars toward his favorite charity.

The newest trio to the Busch Series - Derrike Cope, Martin-Weiss Motorsports, and Kraft Foods, will prove to be a winning combination for 1998.