Lee Pulliam On Top Of Whelen All-American Series National Standings; Keith Rocco Jumps To Fourth

Semora, N.C. driver Lee Pulliam continues to lead the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national standings.

The 2012 national champion has been at the top of the national standings all season long. Pulliam has 15 victories and 21 top-fives in 23 starts this year at South Boston (Va.) Speedway, Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C. and Caraway Speedway in Sophia, N.C., good for 724 points under the Whelen All-American Series points structure.

Deac McCaskill of Raleigh, N.C. is second in the national standings with 698 points. McCaskill has eight victories, 16 top-fives and 20 top-10’s over 21 starts between South Boston Speedway, Southern National Motorsports Park and Motor Mile in Radford, Va.

Tommy Lemons Jr. of Troy, N.C. is third nationally with 621 points. Lemons has three victories, 16 top-five’s and 19 top-10’s over 21 starts at South Boston, Caraway, Motor Mile and Southern National.

Under the point structure for the NASCAR All-American Series, a race winner receives two points for every car in the event up to 20 cars. Second place receives two fewer points and so on through the field. Race winners receive an additional five points. For example, if 20 cars are in the field, the winner receives 45 points, second place 38 and third 36. If there are 15 cars, the winner receives 35 points, second 28 and third, 26.

A driver’s best 18 results through the Sept. 15 closing date count toward their state and national point totals. Champions are decided on overall point total. Once a driver reaches 18 starts, their point total increases incrementally as they replace poorer runs with better results.

Keith Rocco of Wallingford jumped from fifth in the national standings to fourth this week.

Rocco, the 2010 national champion, competes full-time in an SK Modified at Thompson International Speedway, the Waterford Speedbowl and Stafford Motor Speedway. Rocco has seven victories, 12 top-five’s and 17 top-10’s in 21 starts, good for 613 points.

Ryan Preece of Berlin, who competes in an SK Modified at Stafford and Thompson and in a Tour Type Modified at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway, remained in seventh in the national standings.
Preece now has five victories, 12 top-five’s and 14 top-10’s in 18 starts, good for 535 points.

Todd Ceravolo of Gales Ferry, who runs Thompson and Waterford, jumped from 12th to ninth nationally with 454 points.

Ted Christopher of Plainville, the 2001 national champion who runs at Stafford and Waterford, jumped from 18th to 12th nationally with 423 points after winning last Friday at Stafford.