Blake Koch will return to full-time competition in the NASCAR Xfinity Series next season.
Koch, who was released from Kaulig Racing early in 2018 and failed to secure a ride this past season, will return to full-time racing in 2019 driving the No. 4 for JD Motorsports along with sponsorship from his company, FilterTime.
Koch, 33, replaces Ross Chastain, who will compete in the Xfinity Series next season with Chip Ganassi Racing.
“It’s hard for me to explain how excited I am to race again and to do it for JD Motorsports. I have seen the progress of this team and have raced against them for many years,” Koch said in a statement.
“Coming off their best season with Ross making the playoffs, it’s a perfect time to join them.”
FilterTime, an air filter subscription service, will be the primary sponsor in select races throughout the 2019 season, beginning with the season-opener at Daytona in February.
With Koch having made the Xfinity Series playoffs in 2016 and 2017, team owner Johnny Davis is hopeful he will see the No. 4 car back in playoff contention next year.
“We are excited to get Blake back in a race car,” Davis said. “He is another overlooked talent that needs an opportunity to race, and we’re happy to have him at our organization.”
Koch has made 213 career starts in the series. All 10 of his top-10 finishes came in the 2016 and 2017 season. His career best finish is seventh at Road America in 2017.
“Johnny has given me an amazing opportunity to be back in the series and to also have my company, FilterTime, on the car,” Koch said. “This is truly a dream come true. I started this company to eventually get me back in a seat and it’s happening.”
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