WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (August 6, 2016)- Arriving at a newly repaved Watkins Glen International, NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) driver Blake Koch went to work, making improvements every time his No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection™ Chevrolet Camaro hit the track track.
Laying down the 23rd, 20th and 18th-fastest laps in the three NXS practice sessions, Koch continued his upward pace and went on to qualify a track-best 14th for Saturday afternoon’s Zippo 200.
Battling within the top-15 during the first 5 laps, Koch made contact with the No. 4 and immediately reported to his LeafFilter Racing team that he was “extremely loose all over.”
When the first caution of the race was displayed just a handful of laps later, crew chief Chris Rice called the No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection™ Chevrolet Camaro down pit road for fours tires, fuel and adjustments to not only tighten Koch up, but to inspect any damage the car may have.
Restarting 24th due to varying pit strategy, Koch barely had a chance to make up any ground before the yellow flag was displayed once again, this time for debris. Continuing to play pit strategy, Rice called Koch back down pit road under caution to top off on fuel.
Restarting 27th when the Zippo 200 went back green on lap 17, Koch was in position to make up a few spots heading into the esses, but instead got collected in a major pileup that had almost blocked the entire racing surface. Unfortunately, the damage sustained to the No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection™ Chevrolet Camaro was too extensive to repair, relinquishing Koch to a 35th-place finish.
Quote:
“I just had no where to go really. I had already started slowing down when I saw them spinning in front of me, but another car got in the back of me, pushing me into the No. 90. It’s just really unfortunate but you never know what’s going to happen in these road course races. Now we just move on to next week and hopefully make up some points to keep us within the Chase cutoff.”
Notes:
• Blake Koch was 23rd, 20th and 18th in the three NXS practice sessions at Watkins Glen International.
• Koch qualified a track-best 14th Friday afternoon but got collected in a major pileup on lap 17 in Saturday’s Zippo 200, relinquishing him to a 35th-place finish.
• The Kaulig Racing™ driver maintained his position in the 2016 NXS driver point standings, 12th, after the 20th race of the season, 2 points inside the Chase cutoff point.
• Joey Logano won the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International followed by Paul Menard (second), Kyle Larson (third), Daniel •Suarez (fourth) and Trevor Bayne (fifth).
• Up next: Mid-Ohio 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sat., 13
Kaulig Racing Press Release.
Laying down the 23rd, 20th and 18th-fastest laps in the three NXS practice sessions, Koch continued his upward pace and went on to qualify a track-best 14th for Saturday afternoon’s Zippo 200.
Battling within the top-15 during the first 5 laps, Koch made contact with the No. 4 and immediately reported to his LeafFilter Racing team that he was “extremely loose all over.”
When the first caution of the race was displayed just a handful of laps later, crew chief Chris Rice called the No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection™ Chevrolet Camaro down pit road for fours tires, fuel and adjustments to not only tighten Koch up, but to inspect any damage the car may have.
Restarting 24th due to varying pit strategy, Koch barely had a chance to make up any ground before the yellow flag was displayed once again, this time for debris. Continuing to play pit strategy, Rice called Koch back down pit road under caution to top off on fuel.
Restarting 27th when the Zippo 200 went back green on lap 17, Koch was in position to make up a few spots heading into the esses, but instead got collected in a major pileup that had almost blocked the entire racing surface. Unfortunately, the damage sustained to the No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection™ Chevrolet Camaro was too extensive to repair, relinquishing Koch to a 35th-place finish.
Quote:
“I just had no where to go really. I had already started slowing down when I saw them spinning in front of me, but another car got in the back of me, pushing me into the No. 90. It’s just really unfortunate but you never know what’s going to happen in these road course races. Now we just move on to next week and hopefully make up some points to keep us within the Chase cutoff.”
Notes:
• Blake Koch was 23rd, 20th and 18th in the three NXS practice sessions at Watkins Glen International.
• Koch qualified a track-best 14th Friday afternoon but got collected in a major pileup on lap 17 in Saturday’s Zippo 200, relinquishing him to a 35th-place finish.
• The Kaulig Racing™ driver maintained his position in the 2016 NXS driver point standings, 12th, after the 20th race of the season, 2 points inside the Chase cutoff point.
• Joey Logano won the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International followed by Paul Menard (second), Kyle Larson (third), Daniel •Suarez (fourth) and Trevor Bayne (fifth).
• Up next: Mid-Ohio 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sat., 13
Kaulig Racing Press Release.
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