Dean Roper (December 26, 1938 - August 19, 2001) was a NASCAR driver from Fair Grove, MO. He competed in five Nextel Cup Series events in his career. Roper's debut came in 1983, when he competed in the Daytona 500. Starting 27th in the field of forty-two, Roper drove a smart race and kept out of trouble to finish a solid 15th. He proved it was no fluke at Daytona's sister track, driving to an 18th place effort at Talladega.