Early Years
Cope was born in San Diego, California and was raised in Spanaway, Washington. In high school, he enjoyed auto racing and baseball. He was a successful catcher on the Bethel High School baseball team, and later attended Whitman College to continue his baseball dreams. While being scouted by major league baseball teams, Cope suffered a knee injury that ended his hopes of a big-league career. He then devoted himself to racing full time.
Cope soon progressed through the short-track ranks in the Northwest, and later made his Winston Cup debut at Riverside International Raceway in 1982. Cope's #95 car finished 36th there after developing an oil leak, and he won $625.
He ran part-time in the Winston Cup series after that, making a brief attempt at Rookie of the Year in 1987. In 1989, he signed with Bob Whitcomb to drive the #10 Purolator Pontiac and later Chevrolet, posting four top-10 finishes.
Read more about this topic: Derrike Cope
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