Mike Cope

This article is about the NASCAR driver. For the cartoonist, see Mike Cope (cartoonist).

Mike Cope
Born	May 8, 1961 (1961-05-08) (age 50) Pinellas Park, Florida
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
18 races run over 2 years
Best finish	40th - 1998
First race	1996 Stanley 200 (Loudon)
Last race	1998 Myrtle Beach 250 (Myrtle Beach)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 2 0

Cope (left) chatting with former teammate Carlos Contreras

Mike Cope (born May 8, 1961), is a retired NASCAR driver. He became famous during the mid-1990s one of the best drivers in the Slim Jim All-Pro Series. In the late-90s he started a five year tour in the high levels of NASCAR. He was born in Pinellas Park, Florida, and is no relation to Derrike Cope.

Slim Jim All Pro Series

Mike began a long lived and successful career in NASCAR touring series in 1989. He won two Series Championships in 1994 and 1996. He was voted by his piers as the most popular driver three times. He won the prestigious Winchester 400 three years in a row, 1993-1995.

Busch Series

Cope made his Busch Series debut in 1996, racing at the Milwaukee Mile. He ran the #58 Penrose Chevy and started in the 34th position. He ran all but 3 laps and finished 25th.

Cope ran in the All-Pro Series 1997, then returned to the Busch Series in 1998. He made 17 races for a new team, the #30 Slim Jim Chevy owned by Team 34. Cope was able to qualify for all but one of his starts for the team, but he did not run well. His only lead lap finishes were a 7th at Hickory and a 9th at Pikes Peak. Finally, after a 31st at Myrtle Beach, Cope was released with 2 top-10s but 6 DNFs to his credit in 17 starts. He was replaced by Todd Bodine. Cope did not make any more starts in 1998 and finished 40th in points.

Craftsman Truck Series

Cope made six starts in 1997, driving for Billy Ballew Motorsports. He made his series debut at Homestead-Miami. He started 27th and finished 22nd despite not finishing the race with engine problems. Cope struggled in the other 5 starts, not finishing three of them. However, his best race was the last. He finished 12th at NHIS. His best start in 1997 was Milwaukee Mile where he started 23rd.

Cope went Busch racing in 1998, but returned in 1999, making one start at Las Vegas. Driving the #15 Manheim Auctions Ford, Cope started 30th and ran a solid 14th, completing all but two laps.

Cope earned a ride in 2000 to replace Stacy Compton in the #86 R.C. Cola Ford for Impact Motorsports. The team had been solid, but Cope struggled with the team. His best run was the first race of the season at Daytona International Speedway, where Cope finished 12th. He also added on a 15th at Miami. However, it went downhill afterwards, and after Cope did not show up for the seventh race of the season, he was released in favor of Scott Riggs.

Team Owner

Mike went American Speed Association racing in 2000 and build his own cars and he ran a self sustained race team out of his Hudson, FL shop. Mike drove the #25 Florida Manheim's Auto Auction Chevrolet. Mike had a long relationship with Manheim's as his sponsor. He build and drove his own cars until he retired in 2005 to focus on his son Travis' racing career. Mike continues to own and operate Mike Cope Racing. He and Travis fabricate and build Super Late Models and SCCA cars. He travels as a crew chief for both his sons late model team, and a crew chief for florida based SCCA drivers.

Track Owner

In 2001 Mike bought Bronson Motor Speedway, pavement oval 12 miles west of Gainesville, Fl which he owned and operated for ten years. He made the facility one of the nicest of any short tracks in Florida. He moved Mike Cope Racing closer to home in 2010 and leased the track out; he sold it the following year in 2011.

External links

• Official Website
• Cope Career Stats

Persondata
Name	Cope, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	May 8, 1962
Place of birth	Pinellas Park, Florida
Date of death
Place of death