2017 Season in Review - Blake Koch and Kaulig Racing

Christian Koelle/CCK Photography/TMNS

Despite not making it as far as they did in 2016, this season was still successful for Blake Koch and the No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet Camaro. Highlighted by first career pole at Talladega, Koch still finished 11th in points and tied his most top-fives in one season.

With only four DNF's, Koch had a strong regular season finishing 15th or better fourteen times. The run for the playoffs was highlighted by Koch earning his best finish, at the time, of seventh at Road America.

The opening round of the playoffs is what hurt Koch in the long run as the season began to tick down. A 17th, 19th, and 25th place finish in the first round ultimately led to his elimination in the NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs.

Despite getting knocked down, the team got right back up. A sixth-place finish at Phoenix was the result of the never give up attitude that Kaulig and Koch continue to have. It's that attitude that continues to push Koch in his NASCAR career. Should he return to Kaulig Racing and the XFINITY Series in 2018, it'll be his tenth year in the series.

With a great sponsor behind him in the shape of LeafFilter Gutter Protection, a very supportive team and team owner, and the talent he has behind the wheel, race victories are just around the corner for Koch and who knows, in this new system it could result in a championship at the end of the season. (Koelle,2017)