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  • Kaulig Racing to surpass 200 combined NASCAR Xfinity starts at Daytona

    Kaulig Racing to surpass 200 combined NASCAR Xfinity starts at Daytona

    For Kaulig Racing, Daytona International Speedway has and will always remain a special place for the team with many significant meanings. The team made its Cup and Xfinity Series debuts at Daytona, the team recorded three stage victories last season at Daytona and the team achieved its first top-10 result at Daytona. In addition, the 2.5-mile superspeedway venue in Daytona Beach, Florida, has always been a competitive place for the team in having their cars running towards the front. Above all, Daytona will always be known as the track where the team achieved its first career win and trophy in NASCAR last July. Now, at the same track where the team achieved its first of four current victories, Kaulig Racing is set to surpass a significant milestone start in their fifth season of NASCAR racing. When the team’s three-car lineup takes the green flag in this weekend’s race at Daytona under the lights, Kaulig Racing will surpass 200 starts in NASCAR.

    Prior to the 2016 season, Matt Kaulig, owner of LeafFilter Gutter Protection, decided to field a single-car team in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Kaulig Racing, while forming an alliance with Richard Childress Racing. In addition, Matt Kaulig hired Blake Koch as driver of the team’s No. 11 Chevrolet Camaro sponsored by LeafFilter Gutter Protection while veteran Chris Rice also joined the team to serve as general manager and crew chief. In Kaulig’s first NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway in February, Koch achieved a ninth-place result after starting ninth. He finished no higher than 12th the following six races before he finished eighth at Richmond Raceway in April. Throughout the regular season, Koch earned 15 top-15 results and was one of 12 Xfinity competitors to make the inaugural Xfinity Playoffs. After finishing 11th, 14th and 12th through the first round of the Playoffs (three races), Koch was one of eight competitors to advance to the second round. He achieved results of ninth, 14th and eighth in the second round, but he failed to advance to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway by a narrow margin. He proceeded to finish 20th in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and he capped off Kaulig Racing’s first season in NASCAR competition with five top-10 results and in a successful seventh place in the final standings.

    Koch remained as driver of the No. 11 LeafFilter/Kaulig Racing Chevrolet for the 2017 Xfinity Series season. He started the season with a 15th-place result in the season opener at Daytona followed by a 40th-place result at Atlanta due to being involved in an early accident. From Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March through Richmond in April, he went on to earn five top-15 results. At Talladega Superspeedway in May, Koch earned his first career pole and the first for Kaulig Racing. He ended his race in 31st place, however, after being involved in a multi-car wreck prior to the start of the final stage. From Charlotte Motor Speedway in May through Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July, Koch finished no higher than 13th before he achieved an eighth-place result the following race at Iowa Speedway. For the final seven races of the regular season, he earned six top-15 results and made his second consecutive appearance in the Xfinity Playoffs as a title contender. Throughout the regular season, he also achieved two stage wins (Daytona in July and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August). Compared to last season, however, Koch was eliminated from title contention following the first round (three races), where he finished 17th, 19th and 25th. He was able to achieve a sixth-place result in the penultimate event of the season at Phoenix in November before he finished 16th at the finale at Homestead. Overall, he concluded the season with five top-10 results and an 11th-place result in the final standings.

    In 2018, following the departure of Koch, Ryan Truex, who had also departed from Hattori Racing Enterprises following the 2017 NASCAR Truck Series season, was named as a full-time driver of the No. 11 Bar Harbor/Sea Watch International/Phantom Fireworks/LeafFilter Chevrolet led by Chris Rice. Truex started the season on a high note by finishing in seventh place in the season opener at Daytona and after having a late shot in winning the race. He went on to achieve seven consecutive top-15 results through Richmond Raceway in April and was ranked in seventh place in the regular-season standings. After finishing 38th the following race at Talladega due to being involved in an early accident, Truex and the No. 11 Chevrolet team finished in the top 15 from Dover International Speedway in May through Iowa Speedway in July. At the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August, Truex recorded the first top-five result for Kaulig Racing after finishing fifth. At Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September, Kaulig fielded a newly formed second operation, the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro, driven by the 2018 Daytona 500 Austin Dillon. Starting 32nd, Dillon finished eighth. Following Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September, Truex had earned three more top-15 results and he qualified for the Xfinity Playoffs based on points. During the first round (three races) of the Playoffs, however, Truex earned finishes of 11th, 16th and 10th, and was one of four competitors who was eliminated from title contention. Following the finale at Homestead, where Truex capped off the season with a 15th-place result, 11 top-10 results in total and a 12th-place result in the final standings, Kaulig Racing achieved 100 starts in NASCAR (all coming in the Xfinity Series).

    For the 2019 Xfinity Series season, Kaulig Racing parted ways with Truex and brought along Winamac, Indiana’s Justin Haley as a full-time driver of the No. 11 LeafFilter Chevrolet Camaro led by veteran crew chief Nick Harrison. In addition, Kaulig fielded the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro on a part-time basis and the ride was shared between Ross Chastain, Austin Dillon, Elliott Sadler and A.J. Allmendinger. In addition, Nutrien Ag Solutions joined the team as a key partner alongside LeafFilter. During the season opener at Daytona, Haley and Chastain each won a stage before they finished 17th and 13th respectively. For the first 15 Xfinity races of the season, Haley recorded 11 top-10 results with a best finish of fifth place at Charlotte in May. In addition, Austin Dillon drove the No. 10 Chevrolet in three races while earning a best result of fourth place at Las Vegas in March. Chastain made two additional starts in the No. 10 car, earning a best result of eighth place at Chicagoland Speedway in June, and Sadler competed at Richmond, his home track, in April, where he finished 12th.

    For the next scheduled race at Daytona in July, Kaulig Racing fielded three cars, with Haley in the No. 11 LeafFilter Chevrolet, Allmendinger making his first of select starts in the No. 10 Cornerstone Produce Group Chevrolet and Chastain in the team’s newly formed No. 16 Ellsworth Advisors Chevrolet. Throughout the race, all three Kaulig cars were dominant as Chastain won the first stage while Allmendinger won the second. On the final lap, with Chastain and Haley running first and second approaching the finish line, Allmendinger made his way up to third place and all three Kaulig teammates streaked across the line to record the first NASCAR career win for the team as Chastain achieved his second series win at the World Center of Racing. The victory at Daytona came in Kaulig Racing’s 115th career race fielding race cars with a simple objective: win and deliver trophies for the team. Though Allmendinger was disqualified and stripped from his stage points and third-place result due to failing post-race technical inspection, the first- and second-place results for Chastain and Haley remained in effect.

    Following the victory, however, tragedy hit the team two races later. A day after the Xfinity event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July, Nick Harrison, Haley’s crew chief, died at age 37 due to suffering from multiple health issues. For the remainder of the season, new crew chiefs that included Alex Yontz, Lennie Chandler and Byron Daley filled in atop Kaulig Racing’s pit boxes and to lead its competitors on the track with Chris Rice also assisting the team’s efforts.

    For the remainder of the 2019 Xfinity season, Haley recorded eight additional top-10 results as he made the Playoffs before being eliminated following the first round and concluding the season in 12th place in the final standings. Allmendinger made four additional starts with Kaulig Racing, all coming in road course events in the No. 10 Chevrolet, where he recorded the second career win for the team and his first series victory since 2013 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in October. Chastain made two additional starts in Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 car towards the conclusion of the season, where he finished 10th at Kansas in October and second at Texas in November. Austin Dillon made an additional start at Indianapolis in September, where he finished 34th due to fuel pump issues. Finally, Sadler made his second start of the season along with his 855th and final NASCAR career start at Las Vegas in September, where he finished 10th.

    For this season, 2020, Kaulig Racing fielded two full-time operations and one part-time operation in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Chastain was named as full-time competitor of the No. 10 Nutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet Camaro led by crew chief Bruce Schlicker, Haley remained as a full-time competitor of the No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet Camaro led by crew chief Alex Yontz and Allmendinger was named a part-time competitor of the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro sponsored by Ellsworth Advisors. In addition, Kaulig fielded the No. 16 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by Haley and led by Billy Scott throughout Daytona Speedweeks in an effort of making this year’s 62nd running of the Daytona 500.

    During the qualifying session on February 9 that determined the front row for the 500 and starting lineups for the Bluegreen Vacations Duel events on February 13, Haley was one of the two fastest non-chartered competitors along with veteran Brendan Gaughan to be guaranteed a starting spot for the Daytona 500 based on qualifying speed as he accomplished Matt Kaulig’s dream of competing in the Daytona 500 in the Cup Series. Starting in 33rd place in the 500, Haley rallied from being involved in a late incident to finish in 13th place.

    In the Xfinity Series, Kaulig Racing started off the year 2020 on a low note as Haley was the lone Kaulig competitor to compete in the season opener at Daytona, where he finished sixth. Chastain and Allmendinger, however, had mechanical issues to their respective Chevrolet Camaros and both recorded the slowest lap times that prevented them in making the 40-car field. Chastain was able to compete at Daytona in RSS Racing’s No. 38 Chevrolet Camaro when veteran Jeff Green relinquished his seat to allow Chastain to gain early points towards his full-time slate this season. Allmendinger, however, was unable to make the field in time for the race. Despite the slow start, Haley and Chastain went on to record top-10 results in the following four series races.

    Through the first seven races of the 2020 season, Haley and Chastain each achieved a total of five top-10 results. Allmendinger made his first series start at Bristol in June, where he rallied from a spin to finish 10th. At Atlanta Motor Speedway in June, with Kaulig Racing fielding three cars, Allmendinger won in the No. 16 Chevrolet after leading the final 37 laps and holding off Noah Gragson. The victory was Allmendinger’s fourth of his Xfinity Series career, first on an oval-shaped track and the third career win for Kaulig Racing. Two races later at Homestead, Allmendinger claimed the Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus following a fourth-place run. The following race at Talladega, Haley received a draft from teammates Chastain and Allmendinger on the final lap to pass Jeb Burton and achieve his first Xfinity career victory in his 47th series start. To August 2020, Haley is one of 33 competitors to achieve a win across NASCAR’s three major division series as he also recorded the first win for sponsor LeafFilter. While Kaulig Racing achieved its second victory of the season and fourth overall, the team was also victorious as Chastain, who finished in second place, claimed the Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus. Chastain would go on to win his second Dash 4 Cash bonus of the season at Pocono Raceway the following week after finishing second again.

    Through 21 Xfinity races this season, following a Dover doubleheader, Haley has achieved a win along with six top-five results and 13 top-10 results as he is also guaranteed a spot in this year’s Xfinity Playoffs based off of his victory at Talladega. Though he has no victories recorded thus far, Chastain has achieved nine top-five results and 18 top-10 results as he is ranked in fourth place in the regular-season standings and is 388 points above the top-12 cutline to make the Playoffs. Allmendinger has made seven starts this season and has achieved one victory at Atlanta, five top-five results and seven top-10 results. He is scheduled to make two more Xfinity starts this season.

    All three competitors are scheduled to compete in the upcoming Xfinity Series race at Daytona and surpass start No. 200 for a team that is in its early stages towards success in NASCAR.

    Catch Kaulig Racing’s milestone start at Daytona on Friday, August 28, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

  • Koch Fastest in First Talladega XFINITY Practice

    Koch Fastest in First Talladega XFINITY Practice

    TALLADEGA, Ala. — Blake Koch topped the chart in first NASCAR XFINITY Series practice at Talladega Superspeedway.

    The driver of the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet was the fastest with a time of 49.722 and a speed of 192.591 mph. followed by Brendan Gaughan in second in his No. 62 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet with a time of 49.732 and a speed of 192.552 mph.

    Ben Kennedy was third in his No. 2 Childress Chevrolet with a time of 49.784 and a speed of 192.351 mph. Daniel Hemric was fourth in his No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet with a time of 49.803 and a speed of 192.278 mph while Ty Dillon rounded out the top-five in his No. 3 Childress Chevrolet with a time of 50.128 and a speed of 191.031 mph.

    Dillon posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 188.343 mph.

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  • Kyle Busch Wins at Phoenix, as Championship 4 XFINITY Field is Set

    Kyle Busch Wins at Phoenix, as Championship 4 XFINITY Field is Set

    By Reid Spencer
    NASCAR Wire Service

    AVONDALE, Ariz. – It was just another routine Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway for Kyle Busch.

    But nothing else in the Ticket Galaxy 200 was at all ordinary.

    All the drama unfolded behind Busch, as eight drivers scrambled for four positions in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase’s Championship 4 Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    Busch led 190 of 200 laps on the way to his 10th NASCAR XFINITY Series victory of the season, his 10th at the one-mile track and the 86th of his career, extending his own series record.

    Busch beat runner-up Austin Dillon to the finish line by 6.115 seconds. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ran third in his first XFINITY Series start since 2013.

    “It means a lot,” said Busch, who won his 170th race across NASCAR’s top three touring series. “That’s what we set out to do tonight, and we’ve been really fast here at Phoenix.

    “We’ve had some great race cars and Chris Gayle (crew chief) and all these guys do such a great job each and every week preparing these things – and it’s fun to win here.”

    Justin Allgaier and Daniel Suarez secured spots in the Championship 4 with respective fourth and fifth-place finishes, as did Erik Jones, who recovered from a pit road mistake on Lap 93 to finish 10th.

    But the real tension waited until after the race, when Elliott Sadler sat anxiously on pit road as NASCAR officials decided whether loose lug nuts would cost Sadler, the 13th-place finisher, the services of his crew chief, Kevin Meendering, in the season finale.

    NASCAR found two loose lug nuts, and that means Meendering will serve a suspension next week. Sadler did not know who his crew chief will be at Homestead – though he was lobbying, somewhat facetiously, for team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. to take over the pit box.

    “The emotions of the last 30 minutes have been tough,” Sadler said. “We knew one was loose, and one was in question. Kevin’s pretty much become my best friend, and Kevin’s made me a race car driver again this year.

    “We’ve saved our Darlington car – our best car – for Homestead. We’ve put all our eggs in that car. We’ve done everything right as a race team to go to Homestead with a legitimate shot of walking away a champion. Now that we know he’s going to be suspended, it’s going to be tough.”

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Managing Director Wayne Auton said there was never a possibility of Sadler losing his spot in the Championship 4.

    “At the end of the race, we bring all the cars down to the entrance of pit road for inspection of the wheels and the lug nuts,” Auton said. “We observed that the No. 1 car had two lug nuts not secured to the wheel. With that being said, all the teams were very much aware at the start of the Chase of the violations that could come about.

    “We’ve advised the team that they’re going to be looking for a crew chief for next week and a monetary fine of about $10,000. It’s clearly in the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series rule book.”

    Blake Koch finished eighth and lost the final Championship 4 position to Sadler by four points. Joining Koch on the Chase sidelines were Ryan Reed, who finished sixth, and Brendan Gaughan and Darrell Wallace Jr., who were wrecked and eliminated before the race was 150 laps old.

    Gaughan, who needed a victory to advance to Homestead, was playing fuel strategy when his right front tire went flat on the frontstretch on Lap 138. Gaughan pounded the Turn 1 wall and retired in 35th place.

    “It was about to play out the way we wanted,” Gaughan said after exiting the infield care center. “Did not want to be the caution. Did not want to hit that hard – but we took a shot.”

    Wallace’s grandmother had passed away during the week before the race, and the No. 6 Ford carried her name, “Granny Jan,” above the driver’s door. On Lap 148, Koch ducked to the inside off Turn 4 and knocked Wallace’s Mustang into the inside frontstretch wall.

    “My grandmother was giving me the ride of my life,” Wallace said, his voice breaking with emotion. “That was the most fun I have had all year. Just circumstances took us out. It’s just hard. Thanks, Granny, I love you. We will go on to Homestead and let her ride again.”

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Race – Ticket Galaxy 200
    Phoenix International Raceway
    Avondale, Arizona
    Saturday, November 12, 2016

     

    1. (1) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 200.
    2. (8) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 200.
    3. (13) Ricky Stenhouse Jr(i), Ford, 200.
    4. (9) Justin Allgaier (C), Chevrolet, 200.
    5. (6) Daniel Suarez (C), Toyota, 200.
    6. (3) Ryan Reed (C), Ford, 200.
    7. (22) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 200.
    8. (4) Blake Koch (C), Chevrolet, 200.
    9. (11) Brad Keselowski(i), Ford, 200.
    10. (2) Erik Jones (C) #, Toyota, 200.
    11. (14) Brennan Poole #, Chevrolet, 200.
    12. (17) Aric Almirola(i), Ford, 200.
    13. (10) Elliott Sadler (C), Chevrolet, 200.
    14. (15) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.
    15. (19) Justin Marks, Chevrolet, 200.
    16. (20) Cole Whitt(i), Toyota, 200.
    17. (24) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 199.
    18. (16) Brandon Jones #, Chevrolet, 199.
    19. (12) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 199.
    20. (21) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 199.
    21. (30) Brandon Gdovic, Chevrolet, 199.
    22. (26) Ryan Preece #, Chevrolet, 199.
    23. (33) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 197.
    24. (32) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 197.
    25. (36) BJ McLeod #, Ford, 197.
    26. (37) Brandon Hightower, Dodge, 196.
    27. (35) Austin Theriault(i), Chevrolet, 196.
    28. (40) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 191.
    29. (39) Mike Harmon, Dodge, 190.
    30. (38) DJ Kennington, Ford, Engine, 165.
    31. (23) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, Accident, 150.
    32. (5) Darrell Wallace Jr (C), Ford, Accident, 148.
    33. (18) Corey LaJoie, Toyota, Accident, 148.
    34. (34) Garrett Smithley #, Chevrolet, Accident, 145.
    35. (25) Brendan Gaughan (C), Chevrolet, Accident, 136.
    36. (27) Ray Black Jr #, Chevrolet, Accident, 103.
    37. (28) Jeff Green, Ford, Accident, 90.
    38. (7) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, Accident, 54.
    39. (31) Timmy Hill(i), Toyota, Brakes, 14.
    40. (29) Matt DiBenedetto(i), Toyota, Vibration, 3.

     

    Average Speed of Race Winner:  97.31 mph.
    Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 03 Mins, 19 Secs. Margin of Victory:  6.115 Seconds.
    Caution Flags:  6 for 39 laps.
    Lead Changes:  6 among 4 drivers.

    Lap Leaders:   K. Busch(i) 0; E. Jones (C) # 1-3; K. Busch(i) 4-95; T. Dillon 96-100; K. Busch(i) 101-152; J. Allgaier (C) 153-154; K. Busch(i) 155-200.

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  K. Busch(i) 3 times for 190 laps; T. Dillon 1 time for 5 laps; E. Jones (C) # 1 time for 3 laps; J. Allgaier (C) 1 time for 2 laps.

    Top 10 in Points: D. Suarez (C) – 3,111; E. Sadler (C) – 3,102; E. Jones (C) # – 3,097; J. Allgaier (C) – 3,096; B. Koch (C) – 3,092; R. Reed (C) – 3,089; D. Wallace Jr (C) – 3,048; B. Gaughan (C) – 3,032; B. Poole # – 2,178; T. Dillon – 2,174.

     

  • Blake Koch’s Consistency Could Lead to Stronger Finishes

    Blake Koch’s Consistency Could Lead to Stronger Finishes

    Since making his Xfinity Series debut in 2009, Blake Koch hasn’t exactly set the NASCAR garage on fire. As a matter of fact, until 2016 he had been considered more of a journeyman driver, just there to fill the seat when the situation called for it. But despite running a full 2015 with TriStar Motorsports and having a few promising runs, LeafFilter (Koch’s sponsor) owner Matt Kaulig left TriStar Motorsports at the end of the season and formed his own team, Kaulig Racing, with Richard Childress Racing assistance. He landed Koch as his driver, and 2016 has seen the 30-year-old driver grow exponentially behind the wheel.

    How much has Koch grown? After eight events he holds two top-10s and sits 13th in points. He’s had the speed in his No. 11 Camaro, as shown at Bristol where he posted the fastest speed in practice. He’s been steady in qualifying, where he has yet to qualify outside the top-25 and has a season-high qualifying effort of eighth at Fontana. In the season opener at Daytona, he started and finished ninth, cementing that things were indeed changing for him and the LeafFilter crew.

    He’s a solid guy with a new, decent team and loyal sponsorship that has stuck with him since 2014. A power-based win is out of the question for the crew thanks to the dominance of Cup drivers in XFINITY, but don’t count out places like Road America, where he led with six laps to go last year before being sidelined by a faulty battery. For that matter, don’t count out any of the short tracks this season, as Koch has had strong runs this season at Bristol and Richmond, the latter of which he finished a career-best eighth.

    FORT WORTH, TEXAS - APRIL 08: Jeb Burton, driver of the #43 J. Streicher Ford, and Blake Koch, driver of the #11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet, have an on track incident during the NASCAR XFINITY Series O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 8, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
    FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 08, 2016: Jeb Burton, driver of the No. 43 J. Streicher Ford, and Blake Koch, driver of the No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet, have an on-track incident during the NASCAR XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

    Kaulig Racing is a small team, and as with all new teams, there will be hiccups. At Texas, fellow competitor Jeb Burton cut a tire and was drilled by Koch’s No. 11. Issues at Bristol relegated Koch to his worst finish of the year, 37th. He’s only gotten three lead lap finishes this year. Of course, there are struggles for a team currently trying to find their place in the sport.

    But look at his 2015 season after three races. Not a single lead-lap finish and not a finish better than 19th. As a matter of fact, for the entire 2015 season, Koch had only five lead-lap finishes, with only three of them on road courses. It’s a given, Koch is doing more with his new team in 2016 than anything that was ever done at TriStar Motorsports.

    Koch’s best chance for success is now, and there’s no argument that he’ll make the most of his opportunity. With RCR assistance and the full backing of the Kaulig group, Koch will set a number of career-highs before the season wraps up in November.

     

  • Koch Fastest in Final XFINITY Practice at Bristol

    Koch Fastest in Final XFINITY Practice at Bristol

    BRISTOL, Tenn.– Blake Koch topped the chart in final XFINITY Series practice at Bristol Motor Speedway.  The driver of the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 15.516 and a speed of 123.666 mph.

    Kyle Busch was second in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with a time of 123.364 mph. Austin Dillon was third in his No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet with a time of 15.555 and a speed of 123.356 mph. Jeb Burton was fourth in his No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford with a time of 15.579 and a speed of 123.166 mph. Erik Jones rounded out the top-five in his No. 20 JGR Toyota with a time of 15.612 and a speed of 122.905 mph.

    Kyle Larson was sixth in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Ty Dillon was seventh in his No. 3 RCR Chevrolet. Daniel Suárez was eighth in his No. 19 JGR Toyota. Elliott Sadler was ninth in his No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Joey Logano rounded out the top-10 in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford.

    Busch posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 122.007 mph. Jones was second at an average speed of 121.940 mph. Larson was third at an average speed of 121.761 mph.

    The XFINITY Series will be back on track tomorrow morning at 9:30 for pole qualifying.

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  • Blake Koch Keeping Faith Into Daytona

    Blake Koch Keeping Faith Into Daytona

    Photo Credit: Breaking Limits
    Photo Credit: Breaking Limits

    Blake Koch, Nationwide driver for SR² Motorsports, has all the faith in the world as he returns to his team and heads into the season opener at Daytona.

    “I’m really excited to be teaming with SR² Motorsports for the 2013 season,” Koch said. “Our team chemistry is solid.”

    “In the races we completed last season, we worked well together and developed a good understanding for how our race cars need to be set up,” Koch continued. “We have great note packages to build on from last year, which have laid a good foundation for this year.”

    “We grew leaps and bounds last season and I’m optimistic that we’ll continue that this year.”

    Koch’s team owner Jason Sciavicco also has great faith in his 26 year old driver.

    “Everyone at SR² Motorsports is very excited to have Blake Koch return in 2013,” Sciavicco said. “What he believes in as a person really fits our team model and where we’re heading.”

    “We also believe he has the talents behind the wheel to deliver the results we are expecting.”

    With the confidence of his owner in hand, Koch also has his own faith in his ability to not only get back into the race car but to take it straight  to victory lane.

    “I made my first Nationwide start in 2009 and then I ran full-time in 2011 and started with SR² Motorsports last year,” Koch said. “My goals over the last couple of years have been different because I’ve been points racing.”

    “But me, my team and my owner, we’re going to Daytona to win the race,” Koch continued. “We know it’s possible.”

    “We’ll have a great Toyota and our speedway program is probably our best program right now,” Koch said. “We’re definitely going there to win.”

    Koch, like many of his fellow racers, believes that the Nationwide Series will indeed be one of the most competitive in the sport. And he is definitely planning to be right in the mix of the intense competition.

    “I haven’t been in the Nationwide Series as long as others but since I’ve been in, this will be by far the most competitive season there has been,” Koch said. “You have guys that win Cup races on a regular basis, like Brian Vickers, Trevor Bayne, and Regan Smith.”

    “So, the smaller teams have our work cut out for us,” Koch continued. “But at a place like Daytona, anything can happen.”

    “You just have to make friends on the race track, get drafting partners and be there at the end and just go for it,” Koch said. “The season is going to be great.”

    “I’m just excited and blessed to be a part of it for another year.”

    Koch also has faith that the new manufacturer identity and branding will continue to build the sport and increase the popularity of NASCAR even further.

    “Everybody likes a cool, sporty looking car,” Koch said. “So if the car you’re watching winning a race on Saturday in the Nationwide Series looks like the one you are driving everyday on the road, you’re going to have a tighter connection.”

    “You’re going to feel really cool and proud to drive that brand,” Koch continued. “I think it’s cool that our cars look like the street cars.”

    “A lot of fans don’t know a lot about our cars so it’s great for all of the brands.”

    While Koch acknowledges that the Nationwide season may be some of the best racing around in 2013, he also believes that his season will be positive thanks to his own faith, which is shared with many in his fan base.

    “I have a separate and different fan base than other drivers,” Koch said. “A lot of my fans come from the faith-based area.”

    “I do a lot of speaking at churches and I’ve been on Christian television shows,” Koch continued. “So, a lot of fans are following me because they like what I stand for.”

    “And now they are watching NASCAR and becoming fans of the sport,” Koch said. “So, I think that bringing that to the table is cool.”

    “That’s just helping build the sport and build NASCAR.”

    In addition to his strong faith, one of the biggest motivators in Koch’s life is his belief in helping others. Koch had the opportunity to demonstrate this belief by visiting Tripp Halstead, who injured when a tree limb struck his head, and also participating in a golf tournament to raise funds to help the youngster before heading to Daytona.

    “The golf tournament went awesome,” Koch said. “We had a great time and it was awesome to see all the people there support Tripp and his family.”

    “There were 60 plus teams so it’s cool to see people step up for someone in need.”

    “I met Tripp through my team owner, who told me before we went to Homestead for the championship race that we were going to have Team Boom on the car to raise awareness for Tripp and his family,” Koch said. “I’m really glad to be a part of a team with that kind of heart.”

    “Tripp’s signature thing is to run into people and say ‘Boom’, Koch said. “He’s a big Lightning McQueen fan from the movie Cars and a big racing fan.”

    “I met Tripp for the first time on Friday and we saw him and his mother in the hospital,” Koch continued. “It’s tough to see but the family has such a great attitude.”

    “People have been so supportive,” Koch said. “Even Owen Wilson from the movie Cars called and talked to Tripp.”

    “Little things like that have really been inspiring to the family to see how much people care.”

    Koch also has a strong commitment to living out his faith by helping others, especially since he himself is a new dad to his son, born August 5th.

    “I have a new respect for Tripp’s parents now that I’m a new father,” Koch said. “I can’t really imagine what they are going through to have their son in the hospital for so long.”

    “I definitely have a burden in my heart for this and I want to do anything I can to help,” Koch continued. “It’s a love that you have for your child that is unexplainable.”

    “That is why it touches me to see what Tripp and his family are going through.”

    So, will Koch have even added faith and motivation headed into Daytona with Team Boom on his car? And will his faith see him through even though his own future is uncertain?

    “I would say for sure I’m motivated,” Koch said. “I’m a very motivated race car driver so I really don’t need added motivation but I do want to do as well as I can for Tripp.”

    “I want to do the best I can every week,” Koch continued. “We’re going to go to Daytona, unload in qualifying trim and then go right to drafting.”

    “We want to make sure our car sucks good and that we can push and be pushed in the pack,” Koch said. “I’m not going there to points race because I don’t know what the rest of the season looks like.”

    “I don’t know anything else besides Daytona,” Koch continued. “I’m not going to worry about tomorrow.”

    “I’m going to concentrate on today,” Koch said. “I’m going to try to win the race and Lord willing, I hope that happens.”

  • Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Timmy Hill Both Pursue Nationwide Dreams

    Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., driver of the No. 6 Blackwell Angus/Cargill Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing, and Timmy Hill, behind the wheel of No. 15 Poynt.com Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing, have more than just driving for the same manufacturer in common.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”237″][/media-credit]Both young, up and coming drivers are pursuing their NASCAR dreams, one for a Nationwide championship and the other for the youngest ever Nationwide Rookie of the Year title.

    Stenhouse Jr., who won the Nationwide ROTY honors last year, is 23 years old while Hill is just 18 years of age, with his highest achievement being the Allison Legacy Series Championship.

    For Stenhouse, the achievement of the NASCAR Nationwide championship would be a dream come true.

    “It would mean a lot,” Stenhouse said. “It would definitely be my biggest accomplishment ever in my racing career.”

    “After the way last year went, struggling so bad the first part of the year and turning it around at the end of the year, it really makes you appreciate where we are right now as a race team,” Stenhouse continued.

    “We came into the year thinking that we were gonna be able to run for it and now that we’ve got six races left and have a shot at it, it’s exactly where we need to be.”

    Similarly for Hill, the Nationwide Rookie of the Year title would be just as good as the championship would be to Stenhouse, Jr. And if he won those coveted rookie honors, Hill would make history as the youngest ROTY at the tender age of 18 years.

    “It would be awesome for me to be the youngest one to do it,” Hill said. “We just hoped at this time in the year to have a shot at the Rookie of the Year and everything has worked out.”

    “We’re leading now by just two points.”

    For both drivers, achieving their respective dreams will be tough, especially with the level of competition. Stenhouse, Jr. is battling veteran Elliott Sadler, driver of the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet, for the Nationwide title, while Hill is battling Blake Koch, driver of the No. 81 DayStar.com Dodge, for the ROTY honors.

    “I think you have to be on your game,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “You have to go out and try to win because Elliott Sadler is not gonna finish outside of the top 10.”

    “So, you’ve got to do something better to beat him in this championship.”

    “It’s close,” Hill echoed. “Blake has been right there and we’ve been right beside each other almost every race.”

    “It’s a real tight battle, but hopefully we can hang on to it,” Hill continued. “We hope to finish that deal out.”

    Both dream chasing drivers share a very similar background, having started in go-kart racing, as well as continuing through the ARCA ReMax Racing Series. Hill, in particular, has racing in his blood from watching his father, Jerry Hill, race in the Truck Series for many years.

    “My dad ran Truck Series and the Busch Series back then, Nationwide Series now,” Hill said. “He ran a full season of Trucks in 2003 and that was his last season.”

    “I kept bugging him when I was a kid that I wanted to race,” Hill continued. “Finally he said OK and he put me in a go kart and let me try it out.”

    “The first race, I loved it and I was instantly hooked.”

    One interesting thing that the two drivers on their dream quests share, however, is actually a person. Both have ties to Cup Chase contender Carl Edwards.

    For Stenhouse, Jr. his tie to Carl is that of teammates both seeking a championship. As Stenhouse chases the Nationwide championship, he is also cognizant of getting Edwards, in the No. 60 Fastenal Ford, the owner championship for Jack Roush.

    “Jamie Allison from Ford came in this week and we’ve got a lot of things going,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “We’re obviously going for the driver’s championship.”

    “We’ve got to get Carl the owner’s championship and then we’ve got to get Ford the manufacturer’s championship,” Stenhouse continued. “Ford is putting a lot of effort into it and we’ve got a lot of things to accomplish this year and I think we can do it as a race team.”

    For Hill, Carl Edwards is not teammate but hero.

    “A guy I like to pattern myself after is Carl Edwards,” Hill said. “He handles himself real well and I like the way he treats his fans.”

    “Almost everything he does I like to pattern myself after.”

    The two young up and comers also share one unfortunate aspect to their careers. They both are uncertain of what their future holds.

    “Right now, my biggest focus is this Nationwide championship,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “I think I’ve always said after running a couple of years in Nationwide I would like to run maybe a partial schedule or something just to kind of get my feet wet.”

    “But I don’t want to jump into things too quick.”

    “I may go to college next year,” Hill said, who just graduated high school. “I just want to focus on racing. I just want to keep my focus right now on the Rookie of the Year battle.”

    So, for now, both Stenhouse, Jr. and Hill realize that the road to achieving their dreams runs straight through the Monster Mile at Dover this weekend. Not unexpectedly, both drivers are confident that they will conquer the concrete track.

    “For us, every time I’ve come to Dover, we’ve had a better finish,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “We finished fourth the last race here and had a really fast Mustang.”

    “I think, obviously, we’ll have a good race here.”

    “This is my second time here since the spring race,” Hill said. “So, we’ve got the experience and we’ve got the feel.”

    “The banking and the way it drops off makes it a monster,” Hill continued. “It’s a wild ride.”