StarCom Racing announced Thursday (Feb. 1) that they will return to the track after more than two years away, but in a different discipline all together. They will relaunch as a team racing in Michelin Pilot Challenge starting at Sebring in March.
Like in their time in the NASCAR Cup Series, the team will continue to use the No. 00. StarCom Fiber, the Millburn, N.J.-based telecommunications installation company, will return as the primary sponsor.
In their announcement, StarCom Racing revealed that they will be teaming up with Nitro Motorsports to run a Hyundai Elantra N TCR in the TCR class. Nitro Motorsports, owned by Nick Tucker, a relative of Derrike’s cousin Ernie Cope who formerly raced in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, has primarily fielded cars in the Trans-Am Series presented by Pirelli’s TA2 class.
Following the end of StarCom Racing’s participation in the NASCAR Cup Series, Cope offered his help to Nitro Motorsports behind the scenes. At the time, they were fielding entries for Brent Crews and (on a part-time basis) Corey Heim. With Crews driving, Nitro Motorsports was very successful with the teenaged Crews winning three races and finishing third in points.
Cope got behind the wheel of a TA class Chevrolet Camaro and raced himself at Mid-Ohio and VIR. His best finish was 16th at Mid-Ohio.
StarCom Racing will be the eighth car on the grid running the Hyundai Elantra N TCR. They join the four full-time teams for Bryan Herta Autosport, the two full-time entries from Victor Gonzalez Racing Team (VGRT) and the entry from Deily Motorsports.
The team did not announce drivers for the effort in their press release. They will be announced at a later date.
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