Bob Whitcomb Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that formerly competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. As a successor to DiGard Motorsports, the team achieved its most prominent victory in the 1990 Daytona 500 with driver Derrike Cope. In the same year, they secured a second race win with Cope at the wheel. From at least 1989 until 1990, the team had a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports. The team shut down in 1993.
Cup series During the 1987–88 NASCAR offseason, Keene, New Hampshire businessman Bob Whitcomb bought the assets and the points for the DiGard Motorsports team and rechristened it "Bob Whitcomb Racing". Whitcomb earned his money in the concrete industry through his family's concrete and stone manufacturing business.
In 1988, Whitcomb hired fellow New Englander Ken Bouchard to pilot the No. 10 Ford, winning that season's Rookie of the Year award. The team eventually switched to Pontiac for the final three races of the season. Despite winning Rookie of the Year, Bouchard managed only one top 10 and failed to qualify for five races, including the Daytona 500. In 1989, Bouchard returned, and the team continued to drive Pontiacs.
Five races into the 1989 season, Bouchard was fired in favor of Derrike Cope, who had recently left Jim Testa's No. 68 car. Cope brought sponsorship from Purolator Filters to the team, who required that Cope be the driver if they were to sponsor the No. 10. Together, the team garnered four top-10 finishes in 1989 while also failing to finish nine races.
For the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, Whitcomb Racing would switch from the Pontiac Grand Prix to the Chevrolet Lumina, receiving technical support from Hendrick Motorsports. They also bought engines from Hendrick. Cope and Purolator would both return to the team. 1990 would be the breakout season for both the team and Cope. After a strong Speedweeks, Cope was running in the second position behind Dale Earnhardt in the 1990 Daytona 500. On the final lap, Earnhardt would blow a tire, allowing Cope to slide under and score his first career win. Cope would win again later that season at Dover. These would be Cope's only victories in the Cup. In 1991, Purolator and Cope returned to the team. Cope posted two top-10 finishes and one top-5. Cope and Purolator again returned for the 1992 season. The team posted three top tens in the 1992 season. The team lost sponsorship from Purolator, and this effectively caused Bob Whitcomb to shut the team down two weeks before the 1993 Daytona 500 Speedweeks, leaving Cope without a ride. Cope was subsequently offered to drive the 98 for Cale Yarborough Motorsports, leaving Jimmy Hensley without a team for the start of the 1993 season.
The crew chief in 1990 was Buddy Parrott. In mid-1992, the single-car team switched crew chiefs, hiring Barry Dodson, formerly of Rusty Wallace's Penske team.
The team's assets went for sale in 1993, but Whitcomb would make one more attempt as an owner at Richmond in September 1994.https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1994_Miller_Genuine_Draft_400_%28September%29/W/ Dirk Stephens would fail to qualify.https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1994_Miller_Genuine_Draft_400_%28September%29/W/
Car No. 10 results NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Pts 1988 Ken Bouchard 10 Ford DAYDNQ RCH23 CAR8 ATL16 DAR13 BRI21 MAR31 TALDNQ CLT11 DOV14 RSDDNQ POC14 MCH17 DAY36 POC16 TAL35 GLN27 MCH25 BRIDNQ DAR18 RCH19 DOV25 MAR17 CLT33 NWS27 29th 2378 Chevy NWS27 Pontiac CAR18 PHO23 ATLDNQ 1989 DAY16 CAR38 ATL37 RCHDNQ DAR22 BRI NWS MAR 29th 2316 Derrike Cope TAL30 CLT12 DOV28 SON POC36 MCH9 DAY26 POC35 TAL38 GLN40 MCH6 BRI29 DAR25 RCH25 DOV8 MAR13 CLT6 NWS26 CAR11 PHO14 ATL12 1990 Chevy DAY1 RCH29 CAR12 ATL29 DAR27 BRI32 NWS21 MAR17 TAL40 CLT9 DOV1 SON13 POC12 MCH12 DAY28 POC13 TAL7 GLN35 MCH19 BRI27 DAR9 RCH35 DOV13 MAR24 NWS22 CLT7 CAR33 PHO14 ATL12 19th 3140 1991 DAY26 RCH32 CAR34 ATL11 DAR31 BRI32 NWS15 MARDNQ TAL28 CLT12 DOV27 SON30 POC10 MCH41 DAY17 POC36 TAL35 GLN13 MCH34 BRI29 DAR4 RCH16 DOV36 MAR19 NWS30 CLT33 CAR15 PHO16 ATL24 30th 2516 1992 DAY34 CAR19 RCH19 ATL14 DAR16 BRI10 NWS14 MAR22 TAL12 CLT17 DOV33 SON18 POC12 MCH22 DAY34 POC19 TAL22 GLN34 MCH33 BRI12 DAR12 RCH35 DOV9 MAR20 NWS22 CLT17 CAR14 PHO7 ATL15 21st 3033 1994 Dirk Stephens 51 Ford DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCHDNQ DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL NR 0
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