Keith Rocco Third In Final Whelen All-American Series National Standings; Ryan Preece Ends Up Fourth

He’s become a fixture near the top of the national short track standings over the last seven years and that didn’t change in 2013 for Keith Rocco.

NASCAR announced its final short track standings of the season and it was Rocco sitting third in the Whelen All-American Series national rankings.

It was the fifth consecutive season that Rocco has been in the top-three in the final standings and seventh consecutive year he’s been in the top four.

Rocco, of Wallingford, won a national championship in 2010 and was second in the standings in 2009, 2011 and 2012.

Ryan Preece of Berlin was fourth nationally.

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.

Rocco runs full-time in the SK Modified divisions at the Waterford Speedbowl, Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson International Speedway. He had 14 victories, 30 top-fives and 39 top-10’s in 48 starts this year, good for 742 points. He won the SK Modified division title at Thompson and is running away with the championship at Waterford with three weeks still remaining in their season.

Preece, who competes in an SK Modified at Stafford and Thompson and in a Tour Type Modified at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway, has 730 points based on 12 victories, 30 top-five’s and 34 top-10’s over 43 starts.

Lee Pulliam of Semora, N.C. made history in winning his second consecutive national title. Pulliam clinched the title a week before the deadline by completing a perfect season with 18 full-field victories, gaining the maximum possible 810 points. The last driver to pull of the feat was Rocco in 2010.

Overall Pulliam had 27 victories, 40 top-fives and 44 top-10’s over 47 starts this year between Motor Mile, 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., finished second nationally with 794 points. McCaskill, has 18 victories, 31 top-five’s and 38 top-10’s in 42 starts between South Boston Speedway, Southern National Motorsports Park and Motor Mile in Radford, Va.

Woody Pitkat of Stafford, who competes regularly in the SK Modified divisions at Stafford and Thompson, finished 13th nationally with 638 points. Ted Christopher of Plainville, who competes in the SK Modified divisions at Stafford and Waterford, was 14th nationally with 634 points. Todd Ceravolo of Gales Ferry, who competes in the SK Modified divisions at Thompson and Waterford, was 15th nationally with 619 points.