Big news for a Florida racer

[fred23]

I think we have had pretty much this same discussion on here before.....and while I usually agree with OJ and Frass for that matter, I am going to stick up for this kid in this case. He is just playing the game the way it is played now. You cannot blame him or his family for finding the funding to pursue his career. Right or wrong, fair or not, talent or the lack there of, he is in the seat and has the opportunity to prove himself. Driving at that level is sometimes just as easy or easier than driving a superlatemodel on a short track. He will get all the seat time he can get and race the best equipment every week. Racing in the nationwide or arca series is not that difficult. THe tracks are big and wide and the fast cars start up front and the slow cars start in the back and they get all strung out over the mile or mile and half or bigger tracks and ride around. It is pretty much 200 or 300 miles of practice. Driving a superlatemodel on 1/2 mile or smaller tracks is much more difficult. You don't have time to think or react things just happen and happen quick.
And lets think about how a lot of the guys that have rides in cup got there.....it is usually from knowing someone. Junior had his dad, mears came from a racing family, even Ruetiman(sp) knew Joe Nemecheck to get his ride. THe Bush brothers were driving legends cars before the gong show, Brandon Gaughns dad owns a few Casinos, the wallace family are all riding the coatails of Rusty, Carmichael brought a sponsor, I think Ragan won a gong show. A few others had there parents leverage their homes and 401k's to race and were lucky enough to get noticed. Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and I am sure a few more. Instead of spending all of their hard earned money racing latemodels hoping to get noticed, now you just take that money and go lease an arca team and see what happens. If you get the right team with good equipment and a good crew chief you finish in the top ten most races and pull off a couple of top 5's or a win and you are probably on your way.
THere are probably hundreds if not thousands of short track drivers that could do as well or better given the right equipment, but why would RCR or any of the owners for that matter spend their own money to hopefully find or develop the right guy when they are beating down his door with the money in hand. I think a lot of the owners got burned in these developmental deals with all of the 14-15 year old kids over the last few years. RCR is not in dire need of new drivers, if this kid turns out to be good in a year or so he will put him in a truck and go from there. If he fails, he'll just take the next kids money whether it comes from Daddy or someone willing to sponsor the kid. There have been a few few local drivers that have proven this in the last couple of years. We don't have to mention any names, we know who they are.

THis is why the same 10-12 drivers run up front every single week in all NASCAR divisions. THe rest of the field are fillers and have no rhyme or reason being there. Most are not there on talent and you could replace them with someone different every week and get the same results.

I wish talent mattered but sadly it doesn't anymore. Good luck Blake!!!!!

[Edm]

I watched a couple of the camping world west series races and he did a pretty good job. Last time I checked he was 6th or 7th in points against some pretty good drivers. I was not impressed with any of the late model races or truck races but he did gain my respect when I saw him working on his own equipment.

[Edm]

Instead of spending all of their hard earned money racing latemodels hoping to get noticed, now you just take that money and go lease an arca team and see what happens.

Thats a good point, think about how much money someone like BJ Mcleod has spent in Supers over the years. He probably could have bought into a cup team by now.

[Osmosis Jones]

Right said Fred.....

Yep....we've had this same discussion numerous times and, as you said, this is just the new deal these days. It sucks for sure, but the game is always evolving and not always to the likings of post happy pundits such as myself and The Frassonator.

Without getting too corny, I hope, it just feels as if racing has lost it's soul, kinda....you just don't see the work ethic that used to be prevalent in an up and coming racer. The kind of sleep in the truck to save money for the entry fee for the race we just drove 500 miles to be in type of commitment to the sport. You just don't see it in any of these....sorry, Mr. South....MOST of these kids today.

Great post Fred....a word of reason in an otherwise unreasonable world.....lol


"Thats a good point, think about how much money someone like BJ Mcleod has spent in Supers over the years. He probably could have bought into a cup team by now."

Exactly.....

[Jimmy McKinley]

Never heard of this kid...or Aric Almirola before his Busch days, either, even though he supposedly ran at East Bay. But I never heard his name mentioned anywheres for that matter. Never heard of this Koch kid, either, as far as Florida short track racing goes. No tracks close to Palm Beach that I know of, since Hialeah closed down; where's he been running? What class(es)? Any feature wins? Any division championships? Any "big race" wins? Just askin'.

[Edm]

Local racing would be mostly at OSW

10/9/09 6th in pro trucks
6/12/09 8th super late model 50
5/1/09 2nd in super feature

5/2/09 at NSS 10th in limited late model feature

Thats all I was able to find for this year

This was take from his web site http://www.blakekoch.com/careerstats.html

I still don't see any credentials where he deserves a Nationwide Race over someone like Jeff Chaquette, Clay Rodgers or Augie Grill. Just goes to show its not really about talent.

[Todd McCreary]

Just goes to show its not really about talent.


you don't say.

[ looks bemusedly at the fascination with Danica and Junior ]

[ReevesBros]

If you you take the time to meet Blake and family you would pull for him to succeed. He's is very down to earth and realizes how fortunate he is to get this opportunity. Of the few people from Florida that get the shot ,this is the one I will be pulling for the most. One more thing, they are not rich, but working people. They just happen to knock on the right door.

[fred23]

Yep....we've had this same discussion numerous times and, as you said, this is just the new deal these days. It sucks for sure, but the game is always evolving and not always to the likings of post happy pundits such as myself and The Frassonator.

Without getting too corny, I hope, it just feels as if racing has lost it's soul, kinda....you just don't see the work ethic that used to be prevalent in an up and coming racer. The kind of sleep in the truck to save money for the entry fee for the race we just drove 500 miles to be in type of commitment to the sport. You just don't see it in any of these....sorry, Mr. South....MOST of these kids today.

Great post Fred....a word of reason in an otherwise unreasonable world.....lol


"Thats a good point, think about how much money someone like BJ Mcleod has spent in Supers over the years. He probably could have bought into a cup team by now."

Exactly.....

Racing probably has lost a bit of its soul....just this year David Rogers was telling a story after the races one night at NSS about how he and his crew went racing on Fri night somewhere in Georgia and then Sat night in Nashville and driving all night to make the race on Sunday afternoon in Memphis pulling the car on an open trailer with an old pick up. Having to lie to his older brother and telling him they were jsut going to Nashville to race....the pick up breaking down and having to find parts at a junk yard in the middle of tennessee.....My dad used to share space with John Santos at his repair shop off of Westmoreland back when I was about 6-7 yrs old. I remember going to the shop on Saturdays and watching John and Allen gettin the car ready to go race somewhere in the state....I grew up with Leroy Porters daughter Danielle. I lived two blocks from their house and shop....I would stop by on Saturdays after my football games and watch them load up the car to go race...hurrying home to ask my dad if we could go to NSS to watch him race. I remember talking to Danielle in homeroom a couple of days after the fire and her explaining to me the horror she went through.
Ya OJ , racing has probably lost a piece of its soul but there are probably kids out there today hopefully seeing the same kind of stories....heck, my son has had the opportunity to watch his POP POP win a track championship at age 62 this year....hopefully he will enjoy those memories for a lifetime.

[Osmosis Jones]

I was there that day, Fred.

Long before I became a firefighter I was sitting in the pit grandstands at Desoto, waiting for my race to be called, and watched that seemingly minor wreck turn into one of my worst racing memories ever. I'm not going to relive it all here because I know Mr. Porter reads and comments on this board. He knows the story better than any of us, I'm positive.


I can remember my parents using racing (actually the threat of NO racing) as a way to get me to do my schoolwork, my chores, etc. because, when I was a kid, I lived and breathed for racing. I couldn't get enough of it and my dad was my biggest hero (among many others) and I couldn't wait to get behind the wheel myself. I could go on and on like I usually do but that's getting too far off the topic. Just glad to hear there are others who suffered the same childhood affliction as myself.

Would like to see more of that particular disease these days.

[eagletai]

Amen Brother Amen!!!

[Edm]

Long before I became a firefighter I was sitting in the pit grandstands at Desoto, waiting for my race to be called, and watched that seemingly minor wreck turn into one of my worst racing memories ever. I'm not going to relive it all here because I know Mr. Porter reads and comments on this board. He knows the story better than any of us, I'm positive.


I can remember my parents using racing (actually the threat of NO racing) as a way to get me to do my schoolwork, my chores, etc. because, when I was a kid, I lived and breathed for racing. I couldn't get enough of it and my dad was my biggest hero (among many others) and I couldn't wait to get behind the wheel myself. I could go on and on like I usually do but that's getting too far off the topic. Just glad to hear there are others who suffered the same childhood affliction as myself.

Would like to see more of that particular disease these days.

The threat of not being able to go to the races was terrifying in itself, but it worked. Now the kids don't care because most parents don't have the time to take them and they would probably rather stay home and play X-box anyways.

[ronabneysr]

is racing really racing any more why ain't any one in stands

i hope this ain't off the beatin path but when you get to race track say you got 28 cars in one class -- supers - lates or open wheels

now they either they are going to time trial or draw pills say they draw pills roll the bingo thing get your ball almost all the time same guys draw same ball

and almost all the time same people allways get that 421 number or worse so you run three heats guy on pole 99% of time wins his heat and second place guy wins his and so on then after heats they get those guys that was first two in each heat draw again then that's how they start feature right

and now it's called follow the leader till one of top 4 cars run over the car in front of them and the cars running in middle of pack don't see the wreck and now here is second wreck

and now it's time to follow the leader again

what happened to the races we use to see were the cars ran on out side and passed cars allway around the track instead of this run into corner bump guy in front of you get him loose

and drive under him and root him up racing is suppose to be entertainment
till some one figures out how to get entertainment back into short track racing

you might as well tear down grandstands and just let few people set on milk crates i have never seen a real race car driver back when the stands were full FOLLOW THE GUY IN FRONT OF HIM and the guy behind him was trying to figure out how to find a third grove to pass him

[Old Sunshine Fan]

To: MY FRIEND RONNIE

well said i coulld not a gree moore break out the milk crates and tear the stands up i mean down we all looked at the meeting for you yesterday and we brought some bud light just for you you would have enjoyed all the fun we had everybody that was i mean is cool was there jerry cooked and we ate the movie wass great on a big screen matt was i mean is funny as hell the potatoe salad was great jerry got a brand new kittie two all the guys said funny stuff andy you know the new riter for the track was their a good guy to )period(