Goody's Headache Powder 500 Live Report by Robert Retzler

It all started with a 5:00am wake up in Eastern Tennessee. I left for the track at 6:30am and arrived about 8:30am. My sister and I checked out some tee shirt trailers then went into the track to see practice.

The Gumout's pit stall was right in front of our seats. While the crew was preparing the car, Derrike sat on the pit wall staring downward, collecting his thoughts about tonight. Practice began with D.C. running fast. The crew kept tinkering under the hood during practice. The car looked good. Second round qualifing had 8 drivers trying to requalify. None of them posted better times than their Friday's effort. Happy hour saw Derrike running strong.

We went back to the truck and had a cook-out. The day was flying by. At 4:30pm, we went down to "souvenir alley" to pick up some goodies. We spent 2 hours there. Entered the track at 6:45pm and watched introductions.

Now for the race: Derrike started in the 20th slot. The car started outside and D.C. moved it to the inside quickly. He fell back a few spots trying to pass on the outside. Derrike showed muscle by racing Dale E. and Bill E. and clean passing them. Timely cautions around the 40 and 80 laps helped D.C. stay on the lead lap. By being near the tail, Derrike came in and out to get fuel and tires on the third caution. He was picking off cars at a good pace, and not just lapped cars.

Around lap 190, D.C. was in 17th position. D.C. was fast and the car seemed to handle well on long runs. Lap 215 saw an 8 car wreck on the back off turn 2.The Gumout car was collected. Heavy damage to the front end. The crew worked hard using two welders to repair the car. On lap 293 the Gumout car rolled from behind their pit stall. The car looked like an open wheel modifed. D.C. ran the car on the high side the rest of the time.

They parked the car around lap 400?. The radio network summed it up best: "Derrike Cope was riding along on the lead lap when he was a victim of circumstances". Derrike and the crew deserve 2 thumbs up.