Racing Background Cope's dad, James L. Cope, his mom, Anna Lee Cope, and grandparents, Arlie and Irene Owens, on his mom's side of the family, all raced cars.
"My father and grandfather were pioneers of Sunshine Speedway in the '60s. There was never anything else that I ever wanted to do besides race cars. It is just in my blood," Cope says.
Born and raised in Pinellas Park, Florida, Cope and wife of 22 years, Jane, now make their home in Weeki Wachee, from where they commute to Bronson and to stops on the ASA tour. They have two children, Megan, 21, and Travis, 16.
Older brother Jimmy still races Late Models, while eldest sibling Herbie has moved into designing racing helmets and graphics.
"We all raced bicycles first, and I raced the heck out of them for quite some time," Cope says, laughing. "Then Jimmy bought a used go-kart from a guy at a place where he worked."
Cope says he thereby received a virtual free ride in his older brother's go-kart, but their dad figured out quickly that kart racing for his three sons could become pretty expensive.
"So we tried our stint at motorcycle racing, briefly. Mom didn't like that, because you can wind up with broken legs and all that 'good' stuff," Cope says, smiling at the recollection. "Dad then said, 'Let's build a car for Jimmy and go race, and then when Mike's old enough, he'll be able to do it, too.' "
That first car was a '66 Chevelle with a big-block engine which took shape from virtually nothing in the Cope family's back yard. Brother Jimmy was about 16, Mike still only 13, but that was the start.
"I worked with them week-in and week-out for what seemed like forever," says Cope. "I crewed for him all the way up until he was in Late Models, and then I started doing my own thing and Jimmy helped me along.
"In 1978, I think it was, I ran my first Street Stock race, and from that beginning I knew what I wanted to do. I just had to try and figure out the means and how to get there."
But Cope also credits long and loyal associations for helping him. He first came into the spotlight with the help of Ralph and Rosemarie Bowser, of Clearwater, Florida, when he competed in the United Stockcar Alliance (USA) Series and ran a limited schedule in the All American Challenge Series.
"They watched me from the stands, then came down to the pits-you never know who may be up there watching," Cope says. "Most recently, it's been Charley White with the Manheim Auction people, and his wife, Kim. He's become probably my best friend and biggest supporter besides my wife, Jane. He has pushed me right along, and they've been associate sponsors of mine forever."
Not to be forgotten in this rundown of early support personnel, Cope hurries to interject, are brothers Jimmy and Herbie, and, of course, when he's off to an ASA race, Bronson General Manager Tommy Dunford.
"Our upbringing was about being happy and doing what you want to do to the best of your ability," says Cope. "Jimmy and I have rubbed fenders a lot on the racetrack. But it doesn't matter if we're fishing or shooting pool-it's who catches the most."
Mike Cope, the racetrack owner, has a word for his fellow drivers:
"The most unappreciated group of people at any track across the country are the employees and volunteers who come out and work every weekend for little or no money at all and put up with all the b.s. just because they love the sport and enjoy being at the track.
"I have learned to appreciate them more than anything. Without those people, racing at any level wouldn't be where it is today."