Keith Rocco And Ryan Preece Continue Battle To Be In Whelen All-American Series National Top Three

With two weeks remaining before the standings are finalized for the Whelen All-American Series national short track standings, the heated fight to grab the last spot in the top three continues to rage on in Connecticut.

Keith Rocco of Wallingford used a victory in Saturday night’s 150-lap Budweiser Modified Nationals to help keep his slim lead over Ryan Preece of Berlin in the Whelen All-American Series standings.

Rocco, the 2010 national champion who runs full-time in the SK Modified divisions at Waterford, Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson International Speedway has 14 victories, 28 top-fives and 36 top-10’s in 44 starts this year, good for 741 points.

Preece, who competes in an SK Modified at Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson and in a Tour Type Modified at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway, has 730 points based on 12 victories, 27 top-five’s and 31 top-10’s over 39 starts.

Thompson Speedway closed out its Thursday night event schedule for 2013 last week.

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.

Reigning national champion Lee Pulliam of Semora, N.C. is one victory away from a perfect season under the rankings structure.

Pulliam has 17 full field victories this season. Pulliam has 808 points. A perfect season is 810 points. Rocco was the last driver to accomplish that feat, doing it in 2010. Overall Pulliam has 25 victories, 38 top-fives and 42 top-10’s over 45 starts this year between South Boston (Va.) Speedway, Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C. and Caraway Speedway in Sophia, N.C.

Deac McCaskill, of Raleigh, N.C., has 766 points in second in the rankings. McCaskill, has 14 victories, 27 top-five’s and 34 top-10’s in 37 starts between South Boston Speedway, Southern National Motorsports Park and Motor Mile in Radford, Va.

Woody Pitkat, who competes regularly in the SK Modified divisions at Stafford and Thompson is 13th nationally with 617 points. Pitkat had wins at Thompson and Stafford last week and was second to Rocco at Waterford.