Cory Roper set for NASCAR Trucks at Michgan

**NickHolt** · August 5, 2020

CORY ROPER

Driver/Team Owner

NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series at Michigan International Speedway

Henry Ford Health System 200

Friday, August 7^th, 6:00pm ET on FS1 and MRN

Truck: No. 04 CarQuest Auto Parts Ford F-150 for Roper Racing

Crew chief: Shane Whitbeck

Michigan International Speedway Notes of Interest

Team owner and Driver, Cory Roper, and the #04 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Team are heading to Michigan International Speedway for the Henry Ford Health System 200. This will be the second time in Roper’s NASCAR career to race in Michigan. This is not a short trip for this Texas race team traveling 1,241 miles, approximately 20 hours, from their racing headquarters! Michigan will be Roper’s 26^th truck series start.
The Track: Michigan International Speedway is located in Brooklyn, Michigan and is a 2-mile track. This D shaped speedway is known to be NASCAR’S fastest and most entertaining track. Saturday’s Corrigan Oil 200 race format will consist of 3 stages of 20/20/40 laps to equal 200 miles total.
Last Race: Kansas Speedway Double Header for the truck series was Roper’s last race. First round, Friday’s race, Roper started 27^th and finished 20^th.. Second Round, Saturday’s race, Roper started 20^th, but after being caught up behind another truck spinning out, Roper brought home a 36^th finish.
The Team: Roper Racing headquarters are located on the outskirts of Houston, Texas in Mont Belvieu. Roper Racing fields the No. 04 CarQuest Auto Parts Ford F-150 and 2020 season marks the team’s 3rd year into competing in the NASCAR Truck Series.
The Driver: Cory Roper was born and raised in Vernon, Texas. He comes from a family of hard workers who still work with him today in his company, Preferred Industrial Contractors, and for Roper Racing. Over half of the Roper Racing crew are family members who volunteer their personal time to work on the NASCAR trucks and travel to the races. Roper is no stranger to racing. He grew up watching his dad, Kenny Roper, compete. At the age of 14, Roper got his first racecar and started competing at the local and regional levels at short tracks in Texas and Oklahoma, where he won Points and Track Championships. The Vernon, Texas, native now resides in Mont Belvieu, Texas with his wife, Cherie and daughters Megan and Britney.
The Crew Chief: NASCAR veteran Shane Whitbeck serves as crew chief for the No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc. Ford F-150. The Sarasota, Florida, native previously worked at Brad Keselowski Racing for 10 years. Whitbeck relocated to Texas at the end of 2018 season as a full time Crew Chief for Roper Racing.
The Trucks: At the conclusion of the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, Roper Racing Team purchased 16 Ford F-150 trucks and a number of additional assets from the Brad Keselowski Racing stable to build Roper Racing Team.
About CarQuest Auto Parts: Advance Auto Parts’ Carquest brand will be a primary sponsor within the Roper Racing organization. Additionally, Advance’s TechNet Professional Automotive Service and Advance Professional brands will be associate sponsors for RRT in 2020. TechNet is a group of elite, locally-owned and professionally operated shops with the benefits of a nationwide network, while Advance Professional is a leading aftermarket supplier that provides professional quality parts, service and solutions dedicated to professional shops.

Cory Roper, driver of the No. 04 CarQuest Auto Parts Ford F-150

What are your goals for Michigan International Speedway?

“I am hopeful we have a little luck on our side this weekend. We had great speed in Kansas and hoping that we can carry that speed to Michigan. We need to put a solid race together for our CarQuest partners and I believe Michigan is somewhere that we can do that.”

Shane Whitbeck, crew chief of the No. 04 CarQuest Auto Parts Ford F-150

What are your goals for Michigan International Speedway?

“Last year at Michigan, we had a good run going but we go caught in in a crash so we didn’t get to finish the race. Cory really took to that track so I feel good going into the weekend. It is always important to have a good run in Michigan being in the backyard of Ford. Everybody at the shop is getting ready for this four race run with CarQuest Auto Part Ford F-150. I am looking forward to all the different tracks that we are getting ready to run.”