Keith Rocco Rolls To SK Modified Victory At New London-Waterford Speedbowl

Keith Rocco (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)

Keith Rocco (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)

WATERFORD – With the clock ready to strike to Sunday, it was Keith Rocco getting the late work done to perfection Saturday at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.

Rocco survived a rash of cautions to hold on and win the 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature Saturday at the New London-Waterford Speebdowl.

It was the seventh SK Modified victory of the season for Rocco. The race concluded at 11:58 p.m.

“We made a lot of changes right before the race,” Rocco said. “They weren’t small changes either. I’ve got to thank my whole team. They work real hard and stick behind me.”

Matt Galko of Meriden was second and Ronnie Williams of Tolland third.

Bo Gunning took the field to green from the pole but quickly disappeared from the front of the pack.

Todd Owen went to second place by Tyler Chadwick on the opening lap and the first caution flew on lap two.

On the next restart Gunning held Owen at bay briefly by driving into his side at the drop of the green flag, but Owen was able to move past him to the lead a lap later.

The caution flew again with 32 laps left and on the next restart it was Rocco going by Gunning for second place before Gunning wrecked in turn three to bring the caution out again.

With 31 laps left Rocco got under Owen for the lead off of turn four. He would never trail again, but there was plenty of drama left behind.

Diego Monahan moved to second place with 29 laps left. With 21 laps remaining caution was back out again after Gunning punted Adam Gada into the turn two wall deep in the field.

The race rolled to an extended green flag run before Monahan spun in turn two out of second place and collected Ted Christopher in the process.

Under caution Owen gave up second place to move Galko to the spot and Williams to third.

Williams got by Galko on the restart and looked ready to make a move on Rocco at the front before the caution waved with two laps left after Gunning sent Frank Mucciacciaro Jr. spinning in turn four. Race officials removed Gunning from the event at that point for over aggressive tactics.

On the final restart Rocco was able to check out easily and it was Galko getting by Williams for second.

“I think we were a little better than Keith but no one is better than him on the restarts,” Galko said. “I think I used up all my luck on the restarts last week because he smoked me on that one.”

Comments

  1. Enough with this guy wrecking drivers
    Your old and its ok
    We all used to be good
    How bout you can work there as a usher or maybe something else
    I was looking at stafford in ,1932 and he popped up as a jockey there
    He is actually 106 years old
    Retire !!!!!!

  2. ModFan Homtracks says

    I do like Bo but Jeffrey is right. It was a late enough night already, you got 3 laps to go and the 59 Williams is putting heat on Rocco setting up a great finish. Then somewhere way back in the field, Bo is spinning someone, a talent he still masters, and gets booted from the race. He started on the pole. It’s time to end this experiment. Great race to end a long night!!

  3. Go Away Gunning's says

    For the safety and improvement of local racing can somebody somehow get the Gunning family to go away? Leave Stafford and leave Waterford before someone gets hurt by these menaces. Bo Gunning was fun to watch a few years ago when he was aggressive and talented. Now he’s an old, fat, one-eyed, emphysemic, hack-coughing, chain smoking, no talent driver who should be nowhere near any sort of race car. He has been a menace at the Speedbowl this year since the first heat race and has continued to be a menace every week. Nobody near him on the track is safe. Has he even actually passed a car this year during a feature? He’s either going backward or sending the car in front of him spinning or to the wall. Every time he starts on the pole he tries to junk the outside lane coming to the green on every start. He did it to Todd Owen Saturday. The man is going to hurt someone and it’s sad to watch. Anybody cheering for him or supporting what he does should be ashamed. And his nephew Nick Salva isn’t much better at Stafford. If that kid isn’t causing major wrecks he’s turning minor ones into major ones because he has no clue what’s going on. Does anyone even spot for the kid? Over and over this year he has been the numbskull driving into wrecks at high speed that everyone else seems to miss. Same thing Friday at Stafford. Wreck happens what, 10 cars ahead of him in the field? Most everyone else finds a way to avoid it, and slow down. And then here comes Salva flying in at top speed long after the wreck started. Wonder why he’s been involved in about 10 major wrecks this year? Eventually you have to realize it’s not bad luck, he’s just that bad and dangerous to others.

  4. I’m cunfused is this about Rocco winning or bo being bo ?

  5. I agree Bo needs to go. It sounded exciting over the winter when they announced he’d be back. But it’s been a horror show. He probably made the race last at least 30 minutes longer. It would be nice if he didn’t show up for the big show. But he probably will. Did anyone see what happened to Owen? Word was that the 31 sent him flying for payback. Hopefully sid got the footage. Cool to see a consi for the sks. Pretty rare although they started over 30 cars last year for the big show. I know it was the last regular race of the year but to get 30 cars last night for a regular show was pretty impressive. It’ll be interesting to see how many show up this year for the big race.

  6. SK Team Owner says

    If track management had any stones, or respect for the other teams that show up every week, they would suspend Bo for the last event. His actions Saturday were definitely grounds for that. The accumulation of wrecked equipment he’s left behind this year is just amazing, and the display he put on Saturday was just embarrassing for the track. That race almost doesn’t even finish because of curfew simply because of him just wrecking people for fun at the back of the field. He is the biggest joke in SK racing right now.

  7. Make Bo pass a DMV style eye test, blind people shouldn’t be in a racecar.

  8. Does anyone know if the way the race was handicapped differently last night will the large car count?

  9. the 31 did a great job or blocking and my personal favorite brake checking coming out of a turn.. what a moron !!!!. …todd owen being penalized was a joke. Diego’s action’s ruined what was the only real racing from the back.. TC had no where to go and hits the birthday boy.. would have been nice to see if teddy had anything left after his charge to the front.. gunning was no help ..hate the driving but you don’t need to insult the person…PS I saw some a post race pic from the 31 shop but no video?? serluca you disappoint me LOL

  10. There’s no question Bo Gunning should be suspended for the final event of the year. It’s a no brainer. The track does not need that type of loose cannon out on the track. The guy was dangerous and not there mentally when he has talent in the 90’s. Now he’s just an old guy without talent, and clearly no brain. The 98 didn’t do anything to anyone Saturday night and got cleaned out with two laps left because Bo Gunning can’t control his temper. The 98 didn’t block him or move him up or anything. Gunning just rolled up on him and cleared him out for no reason, just to be an idiot. For what, 14th place? That’s the dangerous mentality you’re dealing with here. A guy who is purposely driving right through others guys for no reason for 14th place because he can’t control his emotions on the track. Throw him out and tell him not come back next year either. The track will be much better off.

  11. Bo was a menace, actually looked to have a decent car in the hear, don’t know what he was doing. Monahans act is getting real old too.

  12. ModFan Homtracks says

    Rudy, what they did for the SKs was run 3 heats, 7 qualify. 5 qualify for the feature handicap, 2 qualify to start after the top 15. After the heats, 15 cars were in the feature with normal Waterford handicap in place. The 6 cars that came in P6/7 were placed behind them and the rest of the field, I think it was 9 cars, were in the consi. 31 cars and they started 27 in the feature.

  13. waterford should not run 7 features in 1 night, i left at 10:20 when there was a red flag for the second legend car race , isn’t 1 enough!, way to late! don’t run the sk’s last on nights or days when u decide to have fill in divisions!!! i love racing , but to be there for 5 hrs. is waaaay to long.

  14. Thank you all… Because of these comments it’s obvious that all eyes are always on bo and nick so yes they both “still have it”

  15. mike serluca says

    Facebook put a breath-a-lyzer on my phone. The levels detected were above the acceptable level to post a live video. Sorry. Did anyone see the video Cory DiMatteo posted?

  16. Holly wall both still have what the ability to wreck the field or to drive into a wreck after the fact and never even attempt to slow up. Bo has no business in a race car he hasn’t had one week where he didn’t wreck someone

  17. I was one of the people really excited to hear Bo was coming back to Waterford this year. It took about three races to realize the whole deal was a joke. It’s actually sad watching him out there. He’s a 15th place driver trying to wreck his way to the top-10 every week. Really sad to see. Nobody wants to see teams leave a track, but the Speedbowl would be way better off without him next year.

  18. With bo not there then there will be 5 spectators in the stands instead of 15

  19. SK Team Owner says

    Holly Wall, it’s hard for people not to have their eyes on them. When a caution comes out people usually are looking at it and at the Speedbowl this year, if there’s a caution in the SK race it’s usually because Bo spun by himself or is driving away from a wreck he caused or he wrecked himself trying to wreck someone else. So yes, people have their eyes on him. And really, nobody is watching the Salva kid for doing anything good. He’s the rolling “Big One” at Stafford. He’s either rolling around the back of the field are causing a 10-car pileup.

  20. Holy wall.

    All eyes are on them because sooner or later they are in or cause a wreck. Nick salva is a menace and so is his unlce, grandpa or whatever the hack he is… That was a pun for you that didn’t get it… Kept hearing Matt Buckler on Friday day how much bad luck he’s had this season. I’ve been there all season to watch the windshield wiper in action. Anything gets close to him he wipes it of the track. His crew chief should have pulled a days of thunder reference out and sent him out to hit the pace car. The only other menace is bolles but at least reen just shoved him aside but didn’t wreck him.

  21. That’s funny holy wall. I saw alot of new people in the stands last night. I’m willing to bet none of them came to see Bo race.

  22. It would be appropriate for Bo to start at the back in the final SK event, if he’s not banned from the race. I understand the rationale for TC’s penalty; but, TC’s post-race contact with Ronnie Williams was a non-event compared to Bo’s actions this season.

  23. Holly wall, what planet are you living on? I’m sure if I asked 20 fans at the Speedbowl who they come to watch, none of them would say Bo. He is a menace out there. I watched him last night in the feature go down the backstretch and turn left into the car on his inside and wipe out a bunch of good cars. He needs to go back into retirement where he belongs

  24. Holly wall must be one of that team’s creepy pit lizards, because there’s nobody at the track cheering for Bo Gunning besides the group of clown school reject misfits that hang around him and that team. Weird bunch over there.

  25. SK Team Owner says

    Track officials really need to look at suspending him for what happened. They have very clear video evidence of three incidences from last night alone where he very intentionally wrecked people. He should be suspended just for what he did to Frank Mucciacciaro. Frank wasn’t bothering anyone and Bo just drive right into the side of him at the back of the field because why? He’s obviously not all there mentally? You can’t just drive into people and wreck them for no reason at all and expect to be allowed to come back. I’m sorry, but if the track says sitting him for the last two laps was punishment enough that’s ridiculous. He was running at the back of the field and didn’t want to be out there anyway. Eric Webster needs to show something and suspend him for the final event. The drivers at the track deserve that much.

  26. Wesley Robbins says

    I would love for all these wanna be grandstand drivers get out there once and they would shut there mouths about driver’s Bo gunning is one of the best drivers to ever pilot an sk and as for his nephew he is only in his 3 or 4 year so to put these guys down is just ignorance at it’s finest yes Bo is ruff but he has always been that way so as far as I’m concerned give em hell no and if Bo is so bad how come Rocco got by him with no issues

  27. I’m blown away it took an entire season for everyone to actually notice how dangerous Bo has been all season. The nite he turned TC at the flag stand on lap 2 or nite he got airborne on front stretch or nite he was pounding on Wendell & Frank Muchicharro really got me payin attention to what he was doin. U can watch him before they even take the green bouncing off car next to him or in front of him. And some of his crew are just classless clowns. He only fast enough to be dangerous. Guess everyone was watching Bo with one eye closed. Hopefully the officials noticed too

  28. Well your talking about bo who is dangerous when. What about the 15 that got dumped by Williams and destroyed his car and no penalty. I think Waterford speedbowl needs to watch sids every weekend after the race and hand out penalities they don’t catch. That 15 doesn’t hurt a fly either. Favoritism at its finest.

  29. This guy is an absolute hazard, anyone with eyes can tell you that. Being “rough” is one thing but being a weapon is something totally different.

  30. Bo Is Dangerous says

    Wesley, I don’t think anybody here even questioned Bo Gunning’s history. We all know he was great at one time. Joe Montana was one of the best ever too, but I’m sure if you put him in an NFL game today he would be awful. Anybody that has been to the Speedbowl this year can very easily see that Bo has no business being on the track. And he’s trying to make up for the fact that he’s old, out of shape and can’t drive by just wrecking anyone that is near him. He is a danger to everybody on the track.

  31. Bo is Dangerous :Terrible Comparison between Joe Montana and Bo Gunning, Joe Cool has a lot of class Tommy and Bo are like school on Saturday they have No Class!!

  32. THAT racin chick says

    Wow, look at the social media balls everyone has! Bet ya wouldn’t say that to the “clown crew” he has. Social media at its finest with made up names on a blog. So instead of watching the front of the pack battle with 4 laps to go, all eyes were on Bo?? Hilarious! And let’s not talk about curfew, you ppl will harp on anything you can.

  33. Eye In The Sky says

    Sid’s view says it all about Bo – he doesn’t need a spotter since he’s good enough to clear himself! Running in 3rd, he wants down in a bad way and takes out 51 on back chute https://youtu.be/OGiqXpnED-k?t=3m34s

    Sid’s view tells story that Ronnie Williams a saint as he wasn’t patient with 94 or 15:
    a) bends bumper pretty good on 94 then 15 https://youtu.be/OGiqXpnED-k?t=3m34s
    b) gets jiggy with the 15 to try to finish of the front bumper https://youtu.be/OGiqXpnED-k?t=2m2s

  34. Is this thread about Bo being Bo or is it about Rocco’s win ? I like that guy that said ” Yea Bo is RUFF . Ahahahahahahahahah!!!!!

  35. Confused race fan says

    Can someone explain how the starting line ups are set ?
    Seems like Rocco gets special treatment and starts up front all the time,
    although not sure it is always an advantage to start behind Bo.

  36. Dave Jackson says

    This video shows what really happened when the 17 came down on the 22 and took himself out. I’m also not afraid to use my real name.

    https://youtu.be/hdu_lIsTyPY

  37. Dave Jackson says

    This video shows what really happened when the 98 came down on the 22 and took himself out. And I used my real name again.

    https://youtu.be/Qiy9shwzcIw

  38. Dave Jackson- 22 had every opportunity possible to keep from making contact. It’s the oncoming car’s responsibility to avoid collision. I disagree with your view. 17 may have came down but he had the right of way. I see the exact same incident from the 22/13 earlier in the year. Looked like 22 decided to hold the wheel tight and wait for contact to come to him.

  39. Oscar Winning Performance says

    Dave Jackson, hate to say it, but you just posted the most damning evidence of your driver.
    Did you even watch the video before posting it?
    Gada may have come down slightly on the track during the incident, but it’s plain as day that the actual contact that took place was very purposefully set in motion by Gunning turning the wheel right to drive into him.
    All it takes is looking at your video frame by frame. At the five-second mark Gunning gets under Gada. At the six-second mark you can see Gunning’s right hand turn the wheel right, from a slow turn to a quick jerk. You can even see the right front tire in the video at the seven-second mark is turning right before there is any contact between the cars. They’re going through the corner, Gunning’s right front should be turning left, not right.
    And then at the eight second mark Gada is going sideways and Gunning is driving away from another one of his wrecks.
    It was pretty clear Saturday that Gunning got sick of chasing Gada and decided to junk him, and your video only just proved that.

  40. Dave you can believe what ever you want but your driver and team are biggest joke at the track. I do know one thing you might want to skip the last race or bring a flat bed. After all my years of going to the bowl I’ve never seen someone dump the 98 and not pay the price

  41. mike serluca says

    THAT racin chick:
    “Social media at its finest with made up names on a blog”…. AMEN! Lol.

  42. “Social media at its finest with made up names on a blog” says the chick who doesn’t use her real name. LOL

  43. Watched sids view. The 31 had nothing to do with the 81 wrecking.

  44. I don’t have a dog in this fight, I watched the 2 videos that Dave Jackson posted, and I have to agree that it doesn’t look intentional, both cars came down on the driver with the in car camera,the only thing that the guy with the information car camera could have possibly done was back out of it, but at full speed on the track not knowing that the outside guy is going to come down , it’s hard to predict. Looks like a racing incident to be honest, but because it’s Bo, everyone is going to have their own opinions. My problem is not with Bo in these comments, it’s with the people who put down the team of guys who put countless hours in, getting the car to the track, supporting local racing , and calling them clowns. Last I knew, at pit parties, in the pits, and anytime I’ve ever been in contact with them, they’ve always been nothing but kind hearted people and would help anyone that needed

  45. 21Means21 and Amazing you have cool names. Next month stop by the 22 pit and you can meet the Clown crew and the weird bunch. We love all our fans. Don’t be shy now! See you in October. 😉

  46. Bo is this years scapegoat. there is plenty of blame to go around.. its the bowl. blocking ,brake checks ,running people up to the wall that’s racing today .live with your drivers actions .stop whining or go home . leave it between the drivers they know what happened in their own car ..video helps but can be interpreted in many ways. people should be happy the 22 team has worked hard to bring a car back every week.. lots of cars are sitting in garages .. its racing ..it costs money. the 22 team and owner have been completely transparent here in responding to ridiculous accusations.

  47. @Oscar Winning Performance I’m not trying to defend Bo, however, his turning the wheel to the right is a REFLEX motion AFTER the guy comes down, hits him & bumps his steering wheel to the left.. When the steering wheel is bumped to the LEFT in your hands, the driver REFLEXIVELY corrects the wheel by turning to the “right”. It does look like an intentional act to “take the guy out” , but in reality, Bo’s turning to the right is a reflex move, “AFTER THE FACT”…. a fraction of a second.

  48. THAT Racing Chick says

    Ohhhhh Poprocks, is that what you have for brain cells? I think so!!! Couldn’t figure it out , like the rest of the smartasses on this page, it shouldn’t be hard, you wanna talk smack on someone, grow some real balls and I’ll see ya at the track, you can find me at the 22, with the rest of the clowns, come visit 😘

  49. @ THAT Racing Chick
    I’m ascaredy cat now! No way will I venture into the pits with a raging female full of testosterone (who apparently has control of, or has physically genetically, inherited the appendage of her enormous family jewels?) … NO WAY! I’ll stay in the stands & have one eye on Keith… the other eye on Teddy, & my brown eye pointed in the general direction of THAT (genetically modified) Racing Chick! PEACE.

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