2001 Winston Cup Season

Derrike Cope and Warren Johnson, NHRA Pro Stock Champion, have formed a partnership and are busily preparing for the 2001 NASCAR season. Quest Motor Racing will field a Winston Cup team for the 2001 season with Derrike behind the wheel. Obviously, much will need to be accomplished in a concentrated timeframe to prepare for the 2001 season. 

Derrike fully expects success and is clearly excited about the future. Speaking of the newly formed partnership, Derrike commented, "We share a common focus and have a good fit. Clearly, we compliment each other well. Warren is strong in engineering and has had great success as an engine builder. I view my strengths as my driving ability, communication, and my ability to relate to sponsors in the competitive business arena. I have always believed that the sponsor should receive a high return on their investment."

Putting together a successful NASCAR team in today's highly competitive environment is no small undertaking. Derrike continued, "I feel good about where we are in putting our operation together. Our focus is on completing our business plan, developing proposals for sponsorship and establishing a solid infrastructure to build upon."

Derrike advised us that they have retained Camp and Associates as their marketing firm. "They will represent us in our team marketing initiative, sponsorship development, and will handle our merchandise marketing effort," Derrike said.

More information is available at www.nhra.com and Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

The team started the season driving the #37 Pontiac. 

The sponsor for the first race was K&N Performance Filters.
The sponsor for the Winston Open and Coca-Cola 600 was Dee Zee, Inc.
The sponsor for the Brickyard 400 was Geico Direct.
Derrike was asked to drive the CLR Ford Taurus at Kansas and Charlotte and agreed. He later drove the CLR Taurus in Homestead.

The team will have the shop located in Huntersville, NC area and will be doing everything in-house from motors to chassis.