Four female racers make history at Martinsville

MARTINSVILLE, Va.

For years, NASCAR has worked to promote diversity within its ranks. Saturday, four young women will push it to a new level.

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When Jennifer Jo Cobb, Johanna Long and twins Amber and Angela Cope took the green flag in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, it marked a series of firsts for the sport.

It was the first time four female drivers competed in one of the sport’s national major touring series races. And it’s the first time sisters will compete in the same event.

Once the green flag fell, though, none of that mattered.

For those who have watched these young women progress, and the men who competed against them, this was simply another day at the track — one in which 36 competitors raced on equal footing.

Among those racers were the four women who were at different stages in their NASCAR careers.

Cobb, 37, has been working for years to race in NASCAR. This season she’s running the full slate as a driver/owner. She has a top finish of 14th this year, which she posted at both Texas Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway.

Long, 18, made her fifth series start. She has a top finish of 17th, which came in her debut at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis.

Amber and Angela Cope, 27, are making their initial series starts after running ARCA races in 2006 and 2008.

Their uncle, Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope, has watched their careers develop and has been actively involved in helping them for the last six years. He’s splitting duties as a team owner/relative this weekend and Friday said that it was both exciting and challenging trying to get his nieces an opportunity in racing. After growing up on the West Coast, the women moved East to try to get an opportunity.

“When they came back here, I put them in one of my Cup cars to be tested,” Cope said. “We got them some ARCA cars and ran a few ARCA races. Then trying to find enough money to go do other things has been difficult. We tested some more and we put this deal together so we were able to at least give them a chance to come run the trucks ... It’s just kind of starting over again and trying to get acclimated, so they probably won’t feel comfortable until about 100 laps in.”

Martinsville Speedway, the .526-mile paperclip track, is difficult on even the veterans. But it’s also one of the first tracks where drivers are approved to compete.

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Cope says that they are using this as a learning experience.

“It’s a tough old bird to bring them to,” he said. “These guys are good, they’re very proficient. The good thing is, that’s the only way you learn. You’ve got to run against these people and these guys are good. They’re going to learn a lot, they’re going to absorb a lot.”

The sisters tested ARCA cars at Daytona, an experience that Derrike Cope says showed from the start their drive and desire.

“Three laps they’re flat on the mat and loving it and right away I knew I was in trouble and had to do something,” he says.

The women plan to continue testing after this race as they attempt to gain ground and run more in the series.

Their Martinsville goal was simple.

“We will now get the opportunity to earn the respect of our competitors,” Angela Cope said.

It didn't look like too tough of a task.

Two-time series champion Ron Hornaday welcomed the record-setting field.

“Bring them on,” he said. “They’re still a number to me when I’ve got to pass them. “

Experience is key in NASCAR — something that the veterans recognize.

“Jennifer Jo Cobb, it’s so unbelievable what she’s been doing this year from the first race until where she is now, knowing where her trucks at, her spotters doing a great job, her trucks actually running better,” Hornaday said, later adding that was clear over the course of Fridays practices, too. “... These girls, once they get the trucks underneath them, the second practice they looked like they were fine.”

Kyle Busch, who starts from the pole position in the truck race, agreed. Like everyone else, he’s focused on his own effort, but sees the talent of those around him.

“I think it’s great,” he said of the record-setting race. “I think Johanna, she’s done a really nice job in the starts she’s been able to make ... I think Martinsville, the way this place is, and going through the approval process, obviously, it’s easy for them to make some starts here.”

And then he highlights what everyone recognizes.

“It’s not that they’re going to be treated or looked at any differently than anybody else,” he said.