SAN FRANCISCO, California – Despite falling victim to a collision and a failing tire late in the race, the Golden Gate Racing Team still went home on a Rocky Mountain high Saturday night at Colorado National Speedway">Colorado National Speedway as Blake Koch and the San Francisco based team brought the Daystar Television Network #21 Chevrolet that carries the support of Richard Childress Racing to it's seventh top ten finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
"Some times your good and sometimes you're lucky, this race saw a little bit of both," said Jim Offenbach, owner of the San Francisco based Golden Gate Racing Team. "The guys that work on this car simply amaze me at times. They know how to overcome a challenge and communicate so well with one another. They are the best."
Saturday's event was the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts Bonus Challenge 150. The event marked the second time that Koch had competed on the .375 mile track that has become one of his personal favorites on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series Tour. After leading 17 laps there in 2009, the team returned to the rumble in the Rockies with high expectations and nearly met them until lady luck interfered in a not so friendly way.
After turning the fourth fastest lap in final practice, Koch drove the DayStar Television Network #21 to the tenth fastest lap in the field during Coors Light qualifying with a top speed of 80:357 miles per hour. The time was slightly slower then the team had aimed for and placed them midway in the field but Koch proved in 2009 that Colorado National speedway was home to two racing lines and getting to the front was a reachable goal.
"Being the second car on the track for qualifying didn’t help us out much," said Koch. "But we had a good run on the outside and passed a couple of cars on the first lap to get a good start."
After working his way into the top five early in the race, Koch began patiently closing in on the fourth place position. Late in the race Austin Self held on to the fourth position and when Koch closed in to pass for the position the two collided to draw a caution flag for a multi car incident on lap 136. Koch skated through the incident without serious damage but was suffering a loss of air pressure in his right front tire that set him back for the final laps of the race.
"When I went to pass for the position he got into me a little bit and it just sent me around," said Koch." At that point the right front tire started going down and I was just trying to get as many spot back as possible."
Following Saturday's event, The Golden Gate- RCR Team is ranked seventh in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West campaign. The next event on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Schedule is Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele on September 12th.
The Golden Gate Racing – RCR Racing Team #21 is sponsored for the 2010 season by the Daystar Television Network. Koch and this veteran team that is owned by Offenbach with the support of Richard Childress Racing is unique, as it is one of few motor sports venues that has partnered with several successful faith-based organizations. They strive to carry a positive message to the NASCAR community at every event where they compete and along the highways in which their impressive hauler is visible — traveling from race to race in pursuit of the 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Championship.
Associate sponsors on the DayStar Television Network Chevrolet include Tire Kingdom and I Am Second. Additional associate sponsors currently include the Golden Gate Meat Company, Superior Lamb Company, Bay Bio-Diesel/Golden Gate Petroleum, Hill Meat Company, Foodcomm International, Signco and Harraka Racing Equipment Sales.
For an in-depth look at the Golden Gate Racing Team and additional news, visit their website at www.goldengateracingteam.com.
