Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 12, 1994                   TAG: 9407130070
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

YARBOROUGH FIRES COPE

``We were not coming together as a team,'' Yarborough said. ``I was as patient as I could afford to be, but the fact that Derrike was actively working on forming his own team for 1995 made me wonder if we were getting his total concentration.''

''Also, I didn't know if he would be available to drive for us in 1995 or not. He's a good race car driver, and I'm sure he'll bounce back. We wish him well.''

Yarborough told the Motor Racing Network's Allan Bestwick that he has been dissatisfied with his team's back-of-the-pack performances and the number of crashes involving his cars. Wrecks have halted or hampered efforts in 10 of the team's 16 starts.

On Sunday, Cope crashed or spun three times and finished 35th, 54 laps back, in the Slick 50 300.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING