Keith Rocco will have surgery Friday in Farmington for left wrist injuries sustained in a practice crash Sunday at Thompson International Speedway.
Keith Rocco
Rocco expects to be away from racing at least two weeks, if not longer, depending upon the healing process.
“That’s pretty significant considering I’ve never really missed any races in my career,” Rocco said.
Rocco, the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series short track national champion, dislocated his wrist and suffered a fractured radial bone in the crash during practice for an SK Modified feature at Thompson.
The surgery will take place at the UConn Health Center in Farmington.
“I’m going to spend two weeks in a soft cast then they say it’s going to be another 2-3 weeks in a hard cast,” Rocco said. “So, as long as I’m in a soft cast I’m thinking I’m out of commission because chances are it’s going past my elbow.”
Rocco competes full-time in the SK Modified divisions at Thompson, Stafford Motor Speedway and the Waterford Speedbowl. He is currently ranked second in the Whelen All-American Series national points. He also runs full-time in the Late Model divisions at Stafford and Waterford.
Rocco is in his first season competing full-time on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and is ninth in the standings, the highest ranked rookie, driving for Boehler Racing Enterprises.
BRE president Mike Boehler said Tuesday that Vin Annarummo will replace Rocco in his team’s car for Wednesday’s Open Wheel Madness show at Seekonk Speedway.
The BRE car is entered into the card’s $10,000 to win Open Tour Type Modified event the track. The race was originally scheduled for July 18, but was rained out.
Annarummo, of Swansea, Mass., is a former regular at Seekonk and has competed regularly with the Valenti Modified Racing Series.
“We ended up grabbing Vinnie Annarummo,” Boehler said. “He’s an old family friend and he’s run at Seekonk for years. We’ve known him forever. So he’s going to wheel the car there and see what he can do.”
Boehler said team officials are still up in the air on what to do for events on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the team’s primary focus.
The Whelen Modified Tour returns to action Friday at Stafford Motor Speedway with the running of the Stafford 150. The Tour next runs next Thursday (Aug. 9) at Thompson.
“We’re just going one race at a time,” Boehler said. “Not sure about Stafford yet. Still kind of on hold with that. Day by day, little by little.
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