Full Throttle

What were they thinking may also fit.

McGlynn Racing (pdf file) and Derrike Cope have announced they will run a full NEXTEL Cup schedule in 2006. Former Daytona 500 winner, a veteran of over 400 Cup series starts, will run the #00 for the team. New sponsorship for the team is nearing completion and will be announced in the coming weeks.

My customary two cents: I guess one could say loyalty is a good thing, but how much can there be when Cope only started one event (Martinsville) for McGlynn Racing in 2005 and finished 33^rd. I’ll be the first to admit McGlynn Racing is one, among many, that swim near the bottom of NASCAR’S barrel but how do you get to the top by hiring Cope for an entire year? (Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio Ward Burton?)

In 23 years, 399 Cup starts, 2 wins (one being a “God is my co-pilot” Daytona 500 win, the other being Dover Downs the same year), 6 top fives and 32 top tens Cope hasn’t exactly been the brightest performer. Add in 99 Busch starts and only one win and you have a recipe for mediocrity on a grand scale.

It’s not all bad. The announcement could have been the return of Buckshot Jones to the double zero..

NASCAR, Auto Racing, Sports