Life has changed this year for NASCAR Nationwide driver Blake Koch. After losing a close battle for 2011 Nationwide Rookie of the Year to Timmy Hill the two are now teammate, Koch is going to be a father in a few months and he has moved his family from Florida to the Charlotte area.
Speaking with Koch Tuesday night at the Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway, however, it was obvious that Koch, the man, has not changed much from the guy who was power washing roofs with his stepfather just a year ago.
It had been six months since I walked with Koch from his hauler at Daytona International Speedway to an Outreach event in the infield, but he greeted me warmly and smiled broadly as we caught up with the changes in his life.
Family and faith top Koch’s list of priorities and he is excited about increasing his family when he and wife Shannon welcome their own child later this year.
Koch is also looking forward to the upcoming NASCAR season and the opportunity he has to drive for Rick Ware Racing and team with Hill.
"We are extremely excited to have Blake on board. He will be a great addition to the RWR team," Ware said in a release at the time of Koch’s signing.
Piloting a powerful race car around NASCAR tracks is just one part of life for Koch on race weekends. He likes to spend time at Outreach events at the track and in the community and enjoys visiting local churches to talk to kids about the choices they make.
Watching last year’s top two rookie drivers team up will add another dimension to what is sure to be an exciting Nationwide season with Danica Patrick running her first full season.
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