Overcoming Adversity, Blake Koch Earns Top-15 Finish in Dover

Heading to Dover International Speedway with redemption on his mind after the last NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) race at Talladega Superspeedway, Blake Koch started off the weekend fighting an ill-handling No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection™ Chevrolet Camaro that was 27th and 22nd in both of Friday‘s practice sessions.

 

The Kaulig Racing™ team went to work overhauling the car’s setup to get it ready for Saturday afternoon’s Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200. Making some strides, Koch qualified 21st at the “Monster Mile,” lining him up 11th in the first Dash 4 Cash heat race.

 

Fighting a Chevrolet Camaro that was “loose in the center of the turns,” Koch was able to capture a 10th-place finish in his 40-lap heat race, earning him a 19th-place starting position for the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200.

 

Looking to make up ground early on in the 120-lap race, Koch was knocking on the door of the top-15 less than 30 laps into the main event. However the Kaulig Racing™ driver began fighting a “tight exit” and reported to the crew that he felt like he was loosing power steering.

 

Continuing to fight an ill-handling car, Koch was eventually put a lap down to the leaders just past the halfway point in the race. Fortunately the first caution period of the day occurred on lap 72, allowing Koch to come down pit road for adjustments. Coming to the attention of his Kaulig Racing™ crew, crew chief Chris Rice made the call for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment to try aid in an extremely tight Chevrolet Camaro.

 

Restarting 14th with 44 laps remaining; Koch found himself the first car one lap down and remained there until the caution flag was displayed for the second time on lap 111. Receiving the “free pass,” Rice elected to bring Koch down pit road for four tires and fuel.

 

Rejoining the lead lap cars with only 5 laps left in the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200, Koch rallied to a track-best 12th-place finish to eventual race winner Erik Jones.

 

Quote:
“We definitely finished a lot better today than I thought we were originally going to the way this weekend was going. Everybody on the Kaulig Racing™ team worked extremely hard and never quit. Because of that, we ended up with a 12th-place finish. I’m very impressed with my team and what they accomplished this weekend.”

Kaulig Racing PR