Blake Koch Regains His Rhythm After Top-15 Finish in Kentucky

Taking to Kentucky Speedway for the first time since the repave, Blake Koch finished Thursday’s four NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) practice sessions 16th, 10th, 19th and sixth respectively.

 

Using what he learned in those practice sessions and applying it to qualifying Friday afternoon, Koch was able to score a track-best starting position of ninth for the Alsco 300 later on that night.

 

Almost as soon as the green flag dropped on the 200-lap event, Koch radioed in to his Kaulig Racing™ crew that he was “way to tight in Turns 3 and 4.” Trying to hold on to an ill-handling No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection™ Chevrolet Camaro, Koch maintained his position within the top-15 until the competition caution came out on lap 25.

 

Needing a major adjustment, crew chief Chris Rice made the call to give Koch four tires, fuel and both wedge and air pressure adjustments to loosen the West Palm Beach, Fla. native up for the next run.

 

Restarting 15th on lap 31, Koch quickly realized that his Chevrolet Camaro was still way to tight for his liking. Able to still maintain his solid running position, Koch came down pit road under the second caution flag period of the day, on lap 52, for four tires, fuel and another air pressure adjustment.

 

Still fighting handling issues when the race went back to green on lap 57, Koch adjusted his line on the track to try help better maintain his position until Rice and the Kaulig Racing™ crew could implement their plan of attack to raise the splitter off the track and loosen the car up.

 

However, just past the halfway point of the Alsco 300, Koch radioed in that he had a bad left front vibration and needed to pit early. Making his way down pit road under green, on lap 104, Koch received four fresh tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment before being sent back on his way. Once green flag pit stops cycled through, Koch was scored 15th, one lap down to the leaders.

 

As the long green flag run ensued, Koch reported that his No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection™ Chevrolet Camaro was “still tight in Turns 1 and 2, but freeing up in Turns 3 and 4.” He continued to maintain his top-15 running position until another round of green flag pit stops began with less than 50 laps to go in the race.

 

Making his second green flag stop of the night on lap 154, Koch got another fresh set of tires, fuel and round of adjustments, before returning to the track in 15th-place, two laps down to the leaders, once pit stops cycled through.

 

The caution flag would be displayed just 16 laps after that green flag pit stop, allowing Koch to come down pit road for a final time for four tires, fuel and adjustments.

 

Restarting in the top-15, one of only three cars just two laps down, Koch would ultimately go on to collect a track-best finish of 14th when the checkered flag flew on the Alsco 300.  

 

Quote:
“We just got my LeafFilter Gutter Protection™ Chevrolet Camaro a little too tight during practice to be fast enough in the race. But otherwise I had good restarts; the guys made good adjustments and had good pit stops all night. It was a solid night and we’re back in the groove with another top-15 finish. We’ll get them next weekend in New Hampshire.