The Connecticut short track racing schedule for Keith Rocco seemingly has no boundaries.
Keith Rocco
And that’s a point the Wallingford driver will try to prove once again in 2014 when he starts off the season by running the first three events of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule for a team he is behind forming.
Rocco confirmed Tuesday that he will run the season opening Icebreaker on April 6 at Thompson Speedway and then the Spring Sizzler 200 at Stafford Motor Speedway on April 27 and the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 on May 23 at Stafford.
Rocco will run for a newly formed team owned by John Rufrano, who also owns the team Rocco runs for in an SK Modified at Stafford Motor Speedway. Rocco also runs part-time on the Valenti Modified Racing Series in a Rufrano owned ride.
Rocco said the team has purchased a car that had been part of Justin Bonsignore’s stable on the Whelen Modified Tour.
“I’m excited, it’s something new,” Rocco said. “John Rufrano is the owner and I will take care of maintaining it. I’m excited to get my hands on it and work on it a little bit.”
Rocco said if all goes well for the first three events of the season the team will look at expanding their schedule. He said ideally he’d like to see the team run all eight of the Whelen Modified Tour events at Connecticut short tracks in 2014. The division visits Stafford four times, Thompson three times and makes one trip to the Waterford Speedbowl.
It’s all part of an aggressive schedule of competition that has become the norm for Rocco, the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion.
He will compete full-time in the SK Modified divisions at Stafford, Waterford and Thompson in 2014. He will race for Rufrano at Stafford and as a partner with Vin Beedle’s Mr. Rooter Racing team at Waterford and Thompson. He will also compete in a Scott Fearn owned Late Model at Waterford and likely in a Fearn owned Late Model regularly at Thompson. He said he also expects to run all eight Valenti Modified Racing Series events at Connecticut tracks with Rufrano’s backing.
And Rocco can guarantee at least one new fan will be cheering on all his efforts in 2014. Rocco and his wife Cassie celebrated the birth of their first child, a son named KJ, on Jan. 3.
Cool, Sounds good.
KR ~ the new TC?
In this era of motorsports very few drivers are able to unite chassis and car maintenance with driving and winning to the same level as Keith Rocco.