CONCORD, N.C. — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Tom Baker photo —
All the cars in Thursday afternoon’s Better Half Dash for Bandolero cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway started out identical.
The winning car just didn’t finish that way.
Shannon Koch, wife of NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Blake Koch, rebounded from contact with Jenna Robinson, wife of crew member Clay Robinson, that detached the rear decklid of her No. 8 Bandolero to charge forward and assume the lead late in the 25-lap event around the frontstretch quarter-mile.
She then held off a final challenge from Katelyn Sweet, girlfriend of reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson, to take the trophy for the race featuring the wives and girlfriends of 12 prominent NASCAR figures.
“I really didn’t know that I lost part of my car until I came back around, and they were picking it up off the track,” Koch said in Victory Lane. “Blake just told me to keep going, that they weren’t black-flagging me, and that’s what I did. I didn’t know I had actually done it until I crossed the line. It was nervous, because I could see Katelyn [Sweet] in my mirror the entire time, but I just kept in it and here we are.”
Asked if the car’s handling changed following the incident, Koch replied with a big smile: “Maybe it did, but honestly, it didn’t feel any different to me.”
Along with the trophy, Koch received $5,000 to donate to the charity of her choice, and $2,500 will also be donated in her honor to both Speedway Children’s Charities and Motor Racing Outreach.
Since Koch was also racing for MRO, a total of $7,500 will return to the organization known for their work with racing families both at and away from the track.
“I’m very grateful that all of our winnings are going back to them [MRO],” Koch expressed. “For what they do for us and for our sport, it’s worth it.”
Sweet, who led the early stages of the race before spinning her No. 42 Target machine around, rebounded to claim runner-up honors after spinning out of the race lead around the halfway point.
“I was pretty mad at first,” Sweet said of her incident. “Once I got back in the pack [and restarted] I saw everyone battling and tried to work my way through. Just came up a little short.”
Tandra Greenfield, wife of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Clay Greenfield, rounded out the top three finishers in the event.
And with a win in her back pocket, the question after the race became: Would Koch return in 2016 to defend her title?
“I’m done,” she replied immediately. “I’m retiring. This was fun, but I’m better on the sidelines cheering on my husband (laughs).”
The next on-track activity is NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN).
RESULTS: Better Half Dash benefiting Motor Racing Outreach and Speedway Children’s Charities; Charlotte Motor Speedway; October 8, 2015
Professional “half” in parenthesis
- Shannon Koch (Blake Koch)
- Katelyn Sweet (Kyle Larson)
- Tandra Greenfield (Clay Greenfield)
- Jordan Fish (Denny Hamlin)
- Kristen Yeley (J.J. Yeley)
- Tati Papis (Max Papis)
- Ashley Stremme (David Stremme)
- Melanie Self (MRO representative)
- Jenna Robinson (Clay Robinson)
- Whitney Scott (Brian Scott)
- Wendy Venturini (PRN anchor)
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 21-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: [email protected]
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
Follow Race Chaser Online: @RaceChaserNews
