Hanes 500

September 28, 1997
Martinsville, VA

Derrike became involved in numerous incidents during the spring race at Martinsville, and the SKITTLES® team settled for 34th place on the ever-challenging track. The accidents resulted in Derrike earning the award given to the hard-luck driver of the race by the media in attendance at the track.

Derrike's average finishes for the season have been in the top-25, so the SKITTLES® team looks to apply the valuable information learned during its last visit to Martinsville. They head into the remaining six races with great optimism. Derrike has posted 13 top-20 finishes this season.

"Our last trip to Martinsville proved to be more of an educational experience," said Derrike Cope. "This track tends to be hard on the brakes and we discovered that our brakes held up and could have been used more."

"With just a few races left in the season, I look to run hard and at least move into the top-25 in points," continued Cope, who stands 28th in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series point standings, 119 points from the 25th spot.

In other news, Derrike Cope and the SKITTLES® team hosted Patrick and Bonnie Gregor of Waterbury, Conn., at Dover Downs International Speedway last weekend at the MBNA 400. The couple successfully bid on the Dover race package during the Burn Foundation's annual Motorsports Silent Auction held last January.

In first round qualifying, Derrike was the 20th car on the track of the 45 cars and produced a time of 20.657 and a speed of 91.669 on the first lap. This put the car in the 18th position. On his second lap, there was a wiggle on turn 2 which caused Derrike to let off the gas and this produced a slower second lap. At the end of the first round, the SKITTLES® Pontiac was left in 37th position. The team ended up taking a provisional in order to make the show and will be starting the race in 42nd position.

Due to rain, the race was postponed until the next day Monday at 11:00am EST.

This is where Derrike was during the race among the 42 cars:

• 35th position - lap 20 of 500
• 34th - lap 49
• 28th - lap 92
• Around lap 115 Robert Pressley went into the wall coming out of turn 4 and Derrike happened to be behind him and had nowhere to go, causing him to run into Pressley's left rear end. This caused considerable damage to the right front of the SKITTLES® Pontiac.
• 40th - lap 158 (the team was able to get the car back on the track)
• 38th - lap 219 (52 laps down)

Derrike finished the race in 36th, 211 laps down.

Pete and Liz Rosendahl were planning on being at the race and providing a live report later. Stephen Seib was also at the race and has provided his live report.