Truck: No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc. Ford F-150 for Roper Racing Crew chief: Shane Whitbeck
Ford EcoBoost 200 Notes of Interest…
As the Roper Racing team travels from Texas to Homestead, Florida, for t NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Cory Roper is looking to close out the year with a solid result in Friday night’s Ford EcoBoost 200.
• Season in Review…Friday’s race will mark the Roper Racing team’s sixteenth NASCAR Truck Series start overall and 9th start for the 2019 season, the team’s second season competing on a national level. The No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc. Ford F-150 team’s 2019 season has been highlighted by The teams Best career finish and first top 10 finish to date when Roper placed 9th and 12th in his home state of Texas at Texas Motor Speedway. Roper also qualified an impressive 5th in Las Vegas and of the 8 starts this season, 5 were top 20 finishes. The last two race attempts for Roper at Bristol and Las Vegas, he did not make the cut off to qualify for the race.
• Back to a 1.5-Mile Track…The Ford EcoBoost 200 will mark Roper’s 2nd time to run this 1.5-mile track. Last season, Roper started 19th and finished 17th. Roper started the race from the 19th position and ran as high as 10th during the event. In Stage 1, he finished 23rd and lined up 24th for Stage 2. The race leader spun his tires on the ensuing restart, which stacked up the field behind him and dropped Roper back to 27th. Despite the setback, Roper was able to race his way back up to 23rd by the end of the stage. In the final stage, Roper started 22nd and methodically worked his way through the field. He cracked the top 20 at lap 84 and continued moving forward to the 17th spot at lap 121. He was able to maintain that position through the end of the race and took home the team’s third top-20 finish of the 2018 season
• The Team…Based on the outskirts of Houston in Baytown, Texas, Roper Racing fields the No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc. Ford F-150. The 2019 season marks the team’s second year to compete in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Being self-funded, the team ran a limited schedule for the first two seasons. Looking to gain business partners for 2020 to run full time.
• The Driver…Roper has been racing since the age of 14. He grew up watching his dad, Kenny Roper, compete. At 14, Roper started competing on a local and regional level at short tracks in Texas and Oklahoma. Roper always had a dream of getting into the NASCAR circuit. After sponsoring another driver, Roper had a chance meeting with the manager of BKR. Roper purchased his first NASCAR truck from BKR and ran his first NASCAR race 6 months later. With hard work, patience, and being in the right place at the right time, Roper’s dream came true. 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 Houston, Texas where he is now the full-time crew chief for Roper Racing Team.
• About Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc.… Owned by Cory Roper, Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc. is a global industrial construction, fabrication and maintenance company, headquartered in Baytown, Texas. The company executes turnkey construction projects from scope development, safety management, project controls, project management, procurement, staffing, fabrication and construction. Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc. serves the power, chemical processing and refining industries. • Connect with the Roper Racing Team…Fans can follow along with the Roper Racing team on social media at @RoperRacingTeam on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Cory Roper, driver of the No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc. Ford F-150
What are your goals for the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway?
“I am excited to be getting back in the truck. Seat time is important to compete in this series. We are hoping for business partners for next year to compete full time. I believe that Shane and the guys in the shop have built the best Ford F-150 truck we will race thus far. I am excited to drive it this Friday in the championship race. My goal is to stay up front, get some seat time, and bring the truck back to Texas in one piece.”
Shane Whitbeck, crew chief of the No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors, Inc.
What are your goals for the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway?
“It feels good to be going back to the track for the Ford Championship weekend to compete in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. The truck we are bringing is the truck with our first front clip and body that we completed at Roper Racing Headquarters. So it will be good to see it on the track. For a small team, we are taking big steps to get to the next level. I feel like this truck should be capable of running in the top 15 of the race. I am excited to have Lake Side Media on the truck for the last race of the year. They do such a great job filming Cory and the team at the track. To all our partners for 2019 season, thank you. It has been a good year and already can’t wait to be back at Daytona to start the 2020 season.”