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For 2013, Koch returned to SR² Motorsports, for which he had driven a limited [[start-and-park]] schedule late in 2012, to run most of the season in the team's No. 24 and No. 00 Toyotas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/nns-blake-koch-returning-with-sr-motorsports/|title=Blake Koch Returning With SR² Motorsports|date=February 7, 2013|work=SPEED Channel|publisher=Fox Sports|accessdate=2013-02-08}}</ref> In October, he made his debut in the [[Sprint Cup Series]], driving for [[Leavine Family Racing]] at [[Charlotte Motor Speedway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/major_travis_kvapil_and_more_news/14756525|title=Major Travis Kvapil and more news|date=October 10, 2013|work=Yardbarker|publisher=Fox Sports|accessdate=2013-10-10}}</ref>
For 2013, Koch returned to SR² Motorsports, for which he had driven a limited [[start-and-park]] schedule late in 2012, to run most of the season in the team's No. 24 and No. 00 Toyotas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/nns-blake-koch-returning-with-sr-motorsports/|title=Blake Koch Returning With SR² Motorsports|date=February 7, 2013|work=SPEED Channel|publisher=Fox Sports|accessdate=2013-02-08}}</ref> In October, he made his debut in the [[Sprint Cup Series]], driving for [[Leavine Family Racing]] at [[Charlotte Motor Speedway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/major_travis_kvapil_and_more_news/14756525|title=Major Travis Kvapil and more news|date=October 10, 2013|work=Yardbarker|publisher=Fox Sports|accessdate=2013-10-10}}</ref>


After driving for [[RAB Racing]] in the 2013 Nationwide Series finale at [[Homestead-Miami Speedway]], where he started on the outside pole, Koch moved to [[TriStar Motorsports]] for the full [[2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series]] season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/10/nns-jeffrey-earnhardt-blake-koch-land-full-time-rides/|title=NNS: Jeffrey Earnhardt, Blake Koch land full-time rides|last=Estrada|first=Chris|date=January 10, 2014|publisher=NBC Sports|accessdate=2014-01-10}}</ref> He also signed with [[Front Row Motorsports]] to drive the No. 35 Ford in the Sprint Cup Series for a limited schedule of races.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/17/blake-koch-gets-front-row-motorsports-nod-for-phoenix-las-vegas/|title=Blake Koch gets Front Row Motorsports nod for Phoenix, Las Vegas|last=DiZinno|first=Tony|date=February 17, 2014|publisher=NBC Sports|accessdate=2014-02-17}}</ref>
After driving for [[RAB Racing]] in the 2013 Nationwide Series finale at [[Homestead-Miami Speedway]], where he started on the outside pole, Koch moved to [[TriStar Motorsports]] for the full [[2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series]] season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/10/nns-jeffrey-earnhardt-blake-koch-land-full-time-rides/|title=NNS: Jeffrey Earnhardt, Blake Koch land full-time rides|last=Estrada|first=Chris|date=January 10, 2014|publisher=NBC Sports|accessdate=2014-01-10}}</ref> He also signed with [[Front Row Motorsports]] to drive the No. 35 Ford in the Sprint Cup Series for a limited schedule of races.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/17/blake-koch-gets-front-row-motorsports-nod-for-phoenix-las-vegas/|title=Blake Koch gets Front Row Motorsports nod for Phoenix, Las Vegas|last=DiZinno|first=Tony|date=February 17, 2014|publisher=NBC Sports|accessdate=2014-02-17}}</ref> He also ran a handful of races for [[Go FAS Racing]] as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catchfence.com/2014/sprintcup/05/13/blake-koch-joins-go-fas-racing-three-races-return-set-travis-kvapil/|title=Blake Koch Joins Go FAS Racing For Three Races; Return Set For Travis Kvapil >> CatchFence|last=Knight|first=Chris|website=Catchfence.com|date=May 13, 2014|accessdate=May 19, 2014}}</ref>


==ESPN controversy==
==ESPN controversy==

Revision as of 21:50, 19 May 2014

Blake Koch
Born (1985-08-05) August 5, 1985 (age 39)
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
NASCAR Cup Series career
2 races run over 2 years
Car no., teamNo. 32 (Go FAS Racing)
2013 position74th
Best finish74th (2013)
First race2013 Bank of America 500 (Charlotte)
Last race2014 The Profit on CNBC 500 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
95 races run over 6 years
Car no., teamNo. 44/No. 10 (TriStar Motorsports)
2013 position25th
Best finish18th (2011)
First race2009 Kroger On Track for the Cure 250 (Memphis)
Last race2025 Tennessee Lottery 250 (Nashville)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
7 races run over 3 years
Truck no., teamNo. 28 (FDNY Racing
2013 position101st
Best finish100th (2012)
First race2012 American Ethanol 225 (Joilet)
Last race2014 North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics up to date as of May 16, 2014.

Blake Koch (born August 5, 1985) is an American stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, driving for TriStar Motorsports, and part-time in the Sprint Cup Series for Go FAS Racing.

Personal life

Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, Koch currently resides in Huntersville, North Carolina with his wife Shannon and their son.[1]

Koch is a Christian. Koch has spoken about his faith saying, "[God has] given me this platform that people listen to me and I feel like I have a great opportunity to tell people about Jesus through that."[2]

Career

Koch racing at Road America in 2011
Koch racing Hal Martin at Richmond in 2013

Koch began his racing career at the age of 22 after he graduated from college with an Associates Degree in Marketing and Business Degree at Northwood University. Prior to racing on 4 wheels. Koch raced on 2 wheels and was considered one of the top 20 motorcross riders in the state of Florida. Koch raced 8 years until the end of 2008 when he made the transition to NASCAR. In 2009, He started racing in the NASCAR Camping World West Series. He finished 8th in the final point standings and finished runner up in the Rookie of the Year standings.[3] In 2011 He made his 1st Nationwide Series race at Phoenix and finished 17th and on the lead lap. He earned 4 top 20 finishes in 2011 and finished 18th in the final point standings.[4]

Koch planned to compete for Rick Ware Racing in the 2012 Nationwide Series driving the No. 41.[5] Partway through the season Koch was switched to the No. 15 when Timmy Hill returned to Nationwide competition, and soon afterwards was forced to switch to a limited schedule due to a lack of sponsorship.[1]

For 2013, Koch returned to SR² Motorsports, for which he had driven a limited start-and-park schedule late in 2012, to run most of the season in the team's No. 24 and No. 00 Toyotas.[6] In October, he made his debut in the Sprint Cup Series, driving for Leavine Family Racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway.[7]

After driving for RAB Racing in the 2013 Nationwide Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he started on the outside pole, Koch moved to TriStar Motorsports for the full 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.[8] He also signed with Front Row Motorsports to drive the No. 35 Ford in the Sprint Cup Series for a limited schedule of races.[9] He also ran a handful of races for Go FAS Racing as well.[10]

ESPN controversy

Koch appeared in a commercial for the voting awareness organization Rise Up And Register; however, it was rejected by ESPN due to "religious and political overtones";[11] despite there being no religious messages in the commercial.[12] ESPN later issued a statement saying, "Koch’s personal religious beliefs played no role in our evaluation."[13]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold - Pole position awarded by time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings. * – Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series

Nationwide Series

Camping World Truck Series

* Season in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References

  1. ^ a b Moring, Mark (August 7, 2012). "NASCAR Driver Blake Koch Takes a Stand for Jesus". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
  2. ^ "God, Grace, and the Roar of Thunder".
  3. ^ "About No. 81 « Daystar Racing". Daystarracing.com. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  4. ^ Blake Koch. "Blake Koch - NASCAR - Yahoo! Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  5. ^ Adamcyzk, Jay (January 20, 2012). "Koch joins Rick Ware Racing". Jayski.com. ESPN. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  6. ^ "Blake Koch Returning With SR² Motorsports". SPEED Channel. Fox Sports. February 7, 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
  7. ^ "Major Travis Kvapil and more news". Yardbarker. Fox Sports. October 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-10.
  8. ^ Estrada, Chris (January 10, 2014). "NNS: Jeffrey Earnhardt, Blake Koch land full-time rides". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
  9. ^ DiZinno, Tony (February 17, 2014). "Blake Koch gets Front Row Motorsports nod for Phoenix, Las Vegas". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
  10. ^ Knight, Chris (May 13, 2014). "Blake Koch Joins Go FAS Racing For Three Races; Return Set For Travis Kvapil >> CatchFence". Catchfence.com. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  11. ^ Diamond Joe's Media Rantz. "ESPN Blocks The Vote, Rejects NASCAR Driver's Ad Allegedly Due To "Religious Overtones"". Sportsrantz.com. Retrieved 2012-03-31.
  12. ^ Gluck, Jeff (March 29, 2012). "ESPN Declines To Air NASCAR Sponsor Commercial Due To 'Advocacy'". SBNation. Vox Media. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
  13. ^ Pockrass, Bob (March 29, 2012). "Nationwide driver loses sponsor after ESPN rejects commercial". Sporting News. Retrieved 2013-10-11.

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