Derrike Cope is back in NASCAR, forming Cope Family Racing with an entry in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the team announced Jan. 2.
CFR, with Cope as the GM, will field the No. 70 for Leland Honeyman and Thomas Annunziata.
The team’s first race will be in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway with Honeyman driving, with Annunziata beginning his year at Circuit of the Americas.
The No. 70’s full schedule was not announced.
“I’m excited to join Cope Family Racing as they launch their NASCAR Xfinity Series program,” Honeyman said in a team release. “It’s an honor to be part of a team with such a racing legacy, and I can’t wait to contribute to this new chapter in their history book. I’m ready to take on 2025 and continue chasing success on the track.”
“I’m super excited to be racing part-time with CFR in 2025,” Annunziata added. “Derrike Cope and the Cope Family are rich in NASCAR experience from his driving days and running the team for StarCom Racing in the [NASCAR] Cup Series. 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.”
Honeyman competed in the full 2024 Xfinity season for Young’s Motorsports, earning one top five and two top 10s.
Annunziata debuted in the Xfinity Series in 2024, making five starts between JD Motorsports and Joey Gase Motorsports, with a best finish of 28th at Pocono Raceway.
Cope, the 1990 Daytona 500 winner, last owned a team in the Xfinity Series in 2016. He also worked as the team manager of the Cup team StarCom Racing until its closure at the end of 2021.
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