History Maker: Keith Rocco Gets Championship Clinching Victory At Waterford Speedbowl

WATERFORD – Going into Saturday night’s SK Modified feature at the Waterford Speedbowl, Keith Rocco knew if he could finish in front of Todd Ceravolo he would clinch the division’s championship with a race still remaining.

Keith Rocco celebrates victory and a third SK Modified championship at Waterford Saturday

And one thing Rocco knew was that if he was leading at the checkered flag there was no way Ceravolo could be in front of him.

Rocco, of Wallingford, won the 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature Saturday at the Waterford Speedbowl.

It was the ninth SK Modified division victory of the season for Rocco and it clinched his third division championship in the last four seasons.

It marked Rocco’s first SK Modified championship as his a team owner.

“Especially being the car owner down here,” Rocco said of the specialness of the occasion Saturday. “This is my first at the track as a car owner in an SK [Modified] and it just makes me really happy.”

Rocco took the lead from Diego Monahan on a restart with 33 laps remaining and never trailed again.

Kyle James of Ashaway, R.I. was second and Tom Abele of Norwich third. Ceravolo was eighth. Rocco ended the night with a 76 point lead over Ceravolo going into the final event of the season. The most points a driver can earn in one race is 55.

Last weekend Rocco clinched his first Late Model championship at Waterford. He joined Allen Coates as the only drivers in track history to win championships in three divisions at the track. He also had Street Stock championship in 2003. Rocco also had SK Modified championships in 2010 and 2011.

He is the first driver in the 63-year history of the Speedbowl to win championships in two separate divisions in the same season.

“Never did I think it would be possible,” Rocco said. “It’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of time, it’s a lot of money. But somehow we pulled it off.”

Rocco is also chasing history in the category of season total for victories. He had his 11th victory of the season in the Late Model division Saturday and has 22 wins overall at the track this year. Don Collins set the track’s record for wins in a season with 23 in 1960. Rocco expects to run in four division at next weekend’s Finale event at Waterford.