Multi-Car Wreck in Overtime Spoils Blake Koch’s Night at Daytona

 

Taking to the 2.5-mile oval Friday afternoon in his No. 11 Celsius® Thermogenic Energy Chevrolet Camaro for qualifying, Koch secured a solid 16th-place starting position for that evening’s Subway Firecracker 250.

 

Intensity was high in the 40-car field as soon as the green flag dropped. Making his way to just outside the top-10 on the opening laps, Koch’s momentum was stalled when the first caution of the night came out on lap 10.

 

Crew chief Chris Rice elected to bring Koch down pit road for four tires and an adjustment to loosen the No. 11 up, even though there was a scheduled competition caution to come just a few laps later. Rice’s call to pit proved to be the right one when a huge accident occurred at the front of the pack just three laps after going back green, allowing Koch a chance to maneuver his way through the carnage.

 

Escaping with only minor right rear damage, Koch came down pit road to the attention of his Kaulig Racing™ pit crew, for four tires, fuel and repairs to the fender.

 

Restarting 24th on lap 21, Koch was just starting to make a move back through the field when the yellow flag was displayed once again, this time on lap 25, for a solo spin. Rice called Koch back down pit road, this time for a splash of gas, to help with pit strategy for the remainder of the 100-lap race.

 

Taking the green on lap 28 from the 20th position, Koch chose to run at the rear of the pack, hoping to avoid some of the early race chaos. The Kaulig Racing™ driver maintained his top-20 running position until the caution came out on lap 42.

 

Hitting pit road once again, Rice chose to put two right side tires on the No. 11 Celsius® Thermogenic Energy Chevrolet Camaro, and for a track bar adjustment to loosen it up.

 

Almost as soon as the Subway Firecracker 250 went back green on lap 47, the yellow flag waved again, this time at the halfway point on lap 50. Playing with fuel strategy, Rice called Koch down pit road just before the field went back green to top him off gas.

 

From that point on, Koch was saving as much fuel as he possibly could just in case the race went green for the remaining 47 laps. However, the yellow flag would wave on lap 68, allowing Koch to come back down pit road to top off on gas.  

 

Restarting 17th with less than 30 laps remaining, Koch made preparations for his march to the front of the field. As intensity picked up with the laps winding down, Koch tried to get momentum going in the high lane, where his Chevrolet Camaro worked best, but it seemed to stall out as soon as he made up any ground.

 

Scored within the top-15 and looking to make up more ground in the final laps, the caution would come out one final time on lap 98, sending the race into overtime. Vying for a top-10 finish on the final lap of the green-white-checkered attempt, Koch was collected in a multi-car wreck, leaving him with a 22nd-place finish in the Subway Firecracker 250.   

 

Quote:
“We definitely had a fast Celsius® Thermogenic Energy Chevrolet Camaro tonight that worked well in the top lane. I just hate it for all the Kaulig Racing™ guys who worked so hard on it, and everyone at Celsius®, that we couldn’t bring home a better finish. I thought I had it saved in the final wreck and was going to salvage the finish, but that just wasn’t the case. I can’t thank everyone enough for their hard work and support, and we’ll rebound in Kentucky next weekend.”

 
Kaulig Racing PR