Tyson Holly
Farms 400

September 29, 1996
North Wilkesboro, NC

In the week previous to the race, Derrike Cope was able to get in some golfing.

Before qualifying Derrike said, "It was a big disappointment to miss that (Martinsville) race. We have to take it and go on. Hopefully we'll have some better choices at Wilkesboro, and we know we'll go up there and get a good solid qualifying effort in. We'll try and see if we can't get through the other short track. If we have a spot that's been difficult for us, it's the short tracks a little bit. We haven't tested at any of those places, so that's been a problem for us too. We'll do the best we can and hopefully we'll have a good effort at Wilkesboro for the last race there."

Derrike came out for qualifying and jumped right to the pole. Derrike told Benny Parsons, "Pretty good lap. I'm really happy for Badcock and Pilot and all the guys. They worked real hard this morning after last week's little bit of disaster. We had to come back strong this week, good effort. We were a little bit despondent after last week and a little bit irritated. So we came back here and put the gear to her and we laid one on 'em here, and hopefully it will be up front in the top five or seven, and we'll have a good start for the race."

He stayed on the pole until Johnny Benson came out as the 13th car and took the number one spot. After 27 cars attempted qualifying and Bobby Hamilton held the pole, a cloudburst delayed qualifying. Once the rain let up and qualifying was able to finish, Derrike ended up in 7th position to start the race.

The beginning of Derrike's 275th NASCAR Winston Cup start looked promising with Derrike staying in the top 10 for the first quarter of the race. Then at lap 250 he had to pull to the garage with the rear gear smoking. In the garage, Derrike had to exit the car quickly when the rear gear caught fire.

Here is where Derrike was during the race:

• 6th position - lap 7 of 400
• 5th - lap 40
• 9th - lap 79
• 7th - lap 85
• 11th - lap 107
• 22nd - lap 143, 1 lap down
• 21st - lap 200
• lap 250 - rear gear smoking and into the garage
• 37th - lap 280. Back on the track and 30 laps down.
• Derrike ended the race in 37th

Commenting on the race Derrike said, "We qualified good. We started the race pretty good and then we had a bad pit stop, and then basically we got a little bit too tight. Then we had that rear gear and I could smell the rear gear starting, and it was kind of a long process, but burned the rear end gear up again. I don't know if a pump failed, or if we had lines maybe closing up, or a faulty line. I'm going to the shop tomorrow and hopefully they deciphered what the malfunction was there."