Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope moves StarCom Racing from NASCAR to sports cars

Shooting For The Stars: StarCom Racing to join Michelin Pilot Challenge this season

A once-former NASCAR Cup Series team is set for new waters and new challenges, returning to racing in IMSA for select events in the 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season.

StarCom, which is run by 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope, will run its first IMSA event at Sebring in March, fielding a Hyundai Elantra, and will be working in conjunction with Nitro Motorsports to run this effort.

We are excited to announce that StarCom Racing is going to run a limited schedule in the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series in 2024! (Details in photos attached). #starcomracing #imsa #imsaracing pic.twitter.com/Ao5sc1zSqF

— StarCom Racing (@StarcomRacing) February 1, 2024

This new venture for the team will be a TCR-classified entry, and while both driver and future schedule have yet to be announced, the return of StarCom Racing came as a surprise to some, having not posted any new entries on their team’s social media account since 2022.

The team, which last competed in the Cup Series in NASCAR in 2021, featuring driver Quin Houff, has not been on track since then, selling their charter due to NASCAR potentially seizing it.

Since then, StarCom Racing sold its Cup car in 2022 to The Money Team Racing, whose majority owner is boxer Floyd Mayweather, and it hasn’t been seen since.

However, this may be a great opportunity for the team to bring success to a new program.

While it is unknown who may be driving the car, the team has a few options available for who may field the first entry.

Cope could potentially make the move into racing for the new program, although he's 65 years old. But Houff seems like a perfect fit to come back to the team.

While Houff has not raced since 2021, he still has that link already established with Cope, and the potential for him joining back is there.

Also, there is a chance to see one of Hyundai’s factory drivers under consideration for the entry. But only time will tell if Cope and his group at StarCom go that route.

Hopefully, this StarCom Racing IMSA program can bring success to a team that has had its trials and tribulations in NASCAR, and with them running what has been a strong Elantra, the team could make some noise even in a part-time capacity.