Tyler Chadwick Wins SK Modified Overdrive Radio 100 At Waterford Speedbowl

WATERFORD – Tyler Chadwick held off Keith Rocco in a heated battle over the final 26 laps to win the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified Overdrive Radio 100 at the Waterford Speedbowl Saturday.

Tyler Chadwick

It was the third victory of the season for Chadwick, of Ledyard, the reigning SK Modified champion at Waterford.

Rocco, of Wallingford, held on for second and Kyle James of Ashaway, R.I. was third.

Chadwick went by Joey Gada for the lead with 88 laps remaining and never trailed again, but he had his hands full holding off Rocco.

After pitting twice, Rocco went by James for second with 34 laps remaining and with 26 laps left he was all over Chadwick’s rear bumper. Lap after lap Rocco tried continued cross over moves and attempts to get under Chadwick, with no luck.

“I’ve got a great spotter,” Chadwick said. “[He] just let me know where he was the whole time and what I needed to do, when I needed to protect and when I needed to push it. … Then we just started pulling away at the end. It was really nerve-wracking, especially getting the lead so early.”

Rocco said he may have used up a little too much tire in his efforts setting fast time in qualifying. The redraw after qualifying put Rocco starting eighth and Chadwick third.

“After the time trial run we had, it probably wasn’t worth going out and trying to blister a lap like that for nothing,” Rocco said. “It definitely effected us in the race. We had to do all we could to get the car to work.

“Tyler Chadwick did an awesome job. Man, he made me work. He definitely made me use up the little bit I had left. It was a lot of fun, I had fun racing with him. He’s got a good spotter up there in the box, man they covered every inch tonight.”

James held off Ted Christopher in a fiery battle over the closing laps for third.

“This thing was a pile,” James said. “It was way too loose. I really had nothing for [Chadwick and Rocco]. I was just trying to hold third. I wasn’t blocking or anything. I gave [Christopher] the outside one time, but he doesn’t like to pass clean. As you can see, he just tried to drive through me five times in a row. But that’s how he does it. You know what, congratulations to him, always wrecking people and just doing the same thing every week.”