Cory Roper ready for Daytona road course

**NickHolt** · August 14, 2020

CORY ROPER

Driver/Team Owner

Daytona International Speedway ROAD COURSE Sunoco 159

Sunday, August 16^th, Noon ET on FS1 and MRN

NASCAR GANDER RV AND OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES

Truck: No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc. Ford F-150 for Roper Racing

Crew chief: Shane Whitbeck

Daytona International Speedway Notes of Interest

Team owner and Driver, Cory Roper, and the #04 NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Team are heading to Daytona for the first road course for the truck series. This will be Roper’s first road course to run in his racing career. Roper is currently 21^st in driver points and 27^th in owner points this season.
The Track: Daytona International Speedway Road Course is 3.57 miles long and will be a historic race for the truck series with 44 laps in 3 stages, 12/25/44 and 14 turns on the course.
Last Race: Last race in Michigan, Roper ran as high as 11^th. Starting 28^th and finishing 23^rd due to a flat tire on lap 101 in overtime.
The Team: Roper Racing headquarters are located on the outskirts of Houston, Texas in Mont Belvieu. Roper Racing fields the No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors 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 Preferred Industrial Contractors Is owned by Cory Roper since 2010 and is a national industrial engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, and maintenance company. Preferred Industrial Contractors (PIC) executes turnkey capital and maintenance projects from scope development through construction. Serving a vast range of industries including power, chemical processing, petroleum refining, food and beverage, and biochemical facilities.

Preferredindustrialcontractors.com

Cory Roper, driver of the No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors Ford F-150

What are your goals for Daytona International Speedway?

“This has been an up and down year for Roper Racing. We have had great trucks and great speed but have had some bad luck, so our finishes do not reflect how much our new race team has grown. I am excited about Daytona Road Course and nervous at the same time. I have never run a road course race before, so I have no idea what to expect, but excited! This will more than likely be Roper Racing’s last race until the Fall due to funding but I am optimistic about some things in the works that will allow us to plan for a full 2021 season with our CarQuest Auto Parts partners.”

Shane Whitbeck, crew chief of the No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors Ford F-150

What are your goals for Daytona International Speedway?

“I cannot wait to get to Daytona! I think it is going to be a fun race for the fans to watch. I enjoy road course racing in the way it is so different. I wish the truck series would do more of them. I am glad to have Preferred Industrial Contractors on the truck this weekend. I feel like if can stay out of trouble on the track and have a little luck, we will have a good finish.”