Daytona 500’s Forgotten Champ: Derrike Cope’s Lucky NASCAR Era

They say that if you win The Great American Race, you will be forever immortalized in American motorsports. While that saying has a tinge of romanticism in it, it does not hold true for every victor. Over the years, several great NASCAR legends have won the Daytona 500. However, there was one man who beat the odds to get on the winners’ list at the iconic track. Although his win is not very popular, Derrike Cope did shock the world at the time as he beat the best NASCAR had to offer.

Derrike Cope was never one of the greatest NASCAR drivers. Some might call him decent at best. The 65-year-old drove full-time in the Cup Series and picked up a couple of wins, including one victory in the Xfinity Series and two in the Cup Series. Both of his Cup wins came in the 1990 season with Bob Whitcomb Racing which he finished in 18th place, his best career result. Never deemed to be a serious contender, it was that very year that put Cope into the limelight as he surprised the community with a massive achievement.

Derrike Cope passed Dale Earnhardt on the last lap to win the Daytona 500

As the 1990 Cup Series season began, all eyes were on The Intimidator Dale Earnhardt. He had won the title 3 times by then but had yet to register a win in the Daytona 500. Earnhardt’s love for The Great American Race and his hunger to win it at least once were well documented. But clearly, the job was easier said than done. He eventually won the race in 1998 but came mighty close in 1990, only to be beaten by Derrike Cope.

With just one lap remaining, the driver of the #3 car was in the lead. However, shortly after the white flag fell, Earnhadrt’s car seemed to face some sort of a mechanical issue as it slowed down dramatically. It opened the door for Cope who was running behind the 7-time Cup Series champion. He passed Earnhardt into the lead and held off a stern challenge from Terry Labonte.

As Derrike Cope’s #10 car took the checkered flag, there was pandemonium on pit road. The former Cup Series driver’s crew burst into celebration as they ran and jumped everywhere around their pit box to celebrate the win. His wife was also in attendance with their child and she seemed to have a tear in her eye as her husband claimed the ultimate race victory.

The race might have happened a long time ago, but as per an article in NBC Sports, Derrike Cope remembered the last few laps leading up to his greatest achievement in motorsports. The 65-year-old spoke about running behind Dale Earnhardt and passing him to take the win.

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Former Cup Series driver recalls career highlight

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The former NASCAR driver has spoken about the last few laps of the iconic 1990 Daytona 500 in the past. He fondly remembered how he passed Dale Earnhardt and held off challenges from Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte.

“It was coming down to the white flag lap. I was closing in on Dale real quick and he was backing up, so I drove to the bottom. His car wiggled, he turned to the right to catch it, and I slipped by on the bottom,” he said.

“After I drove by him, I looked behind me and saw a three-car gap between me and Terry [Labonte]. I knew then that if I don’t lift, Terry and Bill [Elliott] weren’t going to beat us. They really couldn’t do anything to me. When I came off [turn] four, I really felt we were in position to win this race. It was pure adulation there when we went underneath the checkered flag,” Cope added. And thus history was created. A driver who nobody thought would win came in and boy did he conquer!

If one looks hard enough, they will find that NASCAR’s history is filled with such inspiring underdog stories. Which underdog story is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

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