Danica Patrick isn’t the only woman in NASCAR who knows how to fill out a nice dress, or a fancy bikini. Angela and Amber Cope, a true pair of blonde bombshells in every sense of the word, began developing their driving chops by the age of nine, beginning with a go-kart they received from their parents as a Christmas present. The Copes eventually became the most successful go-kart drivers in the Greater Puget Sound region, recording 50 first place wins while Angela set five new track records. From 2001-2010, the girls competed in over 47 races in both Super Late Models and ARCA.
Under the wing of their uncle and Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope, the sisters learned the professional racing business inside and out, relocating from Washington to Charlotte, NC to be closer to the action.
On October 23, 2010, they made Motorsports history for the first time when they competed in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series, making them the first twins to ever compete in one of the top three series’ in NASCAR. Amber finished 26th, while Angela finished 30th. Amber and Angela Cope made history again in 2011 when they became the first twins to ever race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series on May 22nd at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA. The fraternal twins had their bases covered as well, with Angela behind the wheel of a Chevrolet, while her sister Amber piloted a Ford powered machine.
Now driving for SR2 Motorsports, the Cope Twins will continue to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, while working on their clothing line and newly acquired hair salon.
In 2012, Angela Cope returned to NASCAR in the SR² Motorsports No.00 Toyota on October 12, at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, under the lights, Angela Cope displayed her pink paint scheme for all 200 laps of the Dollar General 300. She also joined a growing number of teams using crowdsourcing to partially fund their operation. This new method of sponsorship, used by Alli Owens and Kenny Wallace in the past, allows the average race fan to contribute to the funding of the race team, and adds a sense of ownership and goodwill towards the sport in general. In these tougher economic times, this form of sponsorship is a great way to fill in the gaps left by smaller sponsorship deals, and increased costs.
In an age where sometimes appearances are more important than talent, these women have shown that they have both. If the right sponsor were to come along with the right equipment, these ladies would undoubtedly put to rest the idea that they are just a couple of pretty faces. We’ll have to keep watching for updates on twitter, facebook, and the web to see what their plans are for this season, but don’t be surprised if these two return to battle the big boys in the upper levels of NASCAR in 2013.
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