Although the silly season party has been overshadowed by the 23XI Racing vs. NASCAR lawsuit, it looks like some rumors are finally coming true. Just a week before, it was reported that former Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope was close to making his return to stock car racing. Not as a driver but this time around in the role of team owner, and well, he’s finally made that big leap with an official announcement.

At a time when there’s a lot of chaos and uncertainty within the NASCAR community, this is indeed a brave move by Cope. Well, this new team is stacked with a technical alliance with a powerhouse team and has onboarded a talented race car driver.

Leyland Honeyman and RCR to partner with Derrike Cope in the Xfinity Series

After parting ways with his former team, Creation Cope Racing, the veteran driver has returned with a new entity. Cope Family Racing will make its debut in 2025 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway. This will be a special moment for Cope as he embarks on a new project at a historic place that holds a special place in his heart. Back in 1990, the San Diego native clinched his Daytona 500 title competing in the Cup Series.

The new team will be rolling out the #70 entry, and the driving duties will be split between Leyland Honeyman Jr. and Thomas Annuziata. Derrike Cope has also managed to strike a deal with Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines. RCR will be providing the race car, and ECR will breathe life into their race cars with power units.

“Pumped to announce I’m teaming up with Cope Family Racing for 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2025. Proud to join the Cope Family legacy as we fire it up at Daytona to kick off the season. Let’s get to work. 👊🏼” Leyland Honeyman said this on X. “I’m super excited to be racing part-time with CFR in 2025. Although it’s a new team, CFR has assembled an experienced group to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. I’m ready and more motivated than ever to be a part of this exciting project. Time to go to work.” Annunziata added.

“After some time away from the sport, the creation of Cope Family Racing begins another chapter for us in NASCAR. To have the opportunity for such a high-caliber effort to present in 2025 feels amazing! Elyshia and I are excited to be working alongside Nick and Johanna and look forward to having two young, talented drivers, Leland Honeyman Jr. and Thomas Annunziata, showcase their potential in the highly competitive Xfinity Series.” Team owner Derrike Cope stated this in a press release.

What to expect from Cope Family Racing in 2025?

In his last ownership stint, Derrike Cope and his associates raced both in the Cup and the Xfinity Series. However, their Cup Series run was mostly mired by DNQs and tail-end finishes. In 2003, Cope himself ran multiple races but had to settle for a 43rd-place finish in the points standings. The Xfinity Series run was more or less the same as the veteran racer competed on a full-time basis and never managed to win a race.

But, with the new drivers on board, things might turn out differently in 2025. Leyland Honeyman Jr. had his debut run with Young’s Motorsports this year, and he did pretty well with a streak of top 20 finishes. His best result came at Talladega, where he finished P4 and ended the season 22nd in points standings. On the other hand, Thomas Annunziata will bring his road racing prowess to the #77 team, and this does make a good combination for the new race team.

What do you make of this new team by Derrike Cope, and where will they stack up against the big teams in the Xfinity Series in 2025?