Keith Rocco
WATERFORD – Keith Rocco has officially run out of fingers for SK Modified victory lane photos at the Waterford Speebdowl.
Rocco went by Ed Puleo for the lead with three laps remaining and then held off Puleo on four attempts at green-white-checkered finishes to win the 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature at the Waterford Speedbowl.
It was the 10th SK Modified victory in 19 races at Waterford this season for Rocco, of Wallingford.
Tim Jordan of Plainfield was second and Tyler Chadwick of Ledyard third.
Rocco now has 20 victories overall at Waterford this season, with nine victories in the Late Model division and one Valenti Modified Racing Series victory. Rocco set the single season record for victories at the track last year with 24.
Rocco went to second past Chadwick with 10 laps to go then sized up Puleo for a few laps before making the move for the win low in turn two with three laps remaining.
“The green-white-checkered’s really didn’t bother me,” Rocco said. “Puleo was getting good restarts but I knew once I got back to the gas coming out of [turn] two we’d get a good run off. Going through traffic was pretty tough. It was all about getting the right lane tonight. I got to second with Puleo [leading] and I didn’t think I was going to get him. I was struggling with a free car and just kept working and working and finally we got under him. Ed ran a good race. He gave me a lot of room on the top and he gave me room on the bottom when I got him and I had a lot of fun racing with him.”
Jordan passed Ed Puleo for second on the final lap. Puleo ended up in a frontstretch wreck coming to the checkered flag.
“We just got hung up in traffic early,” Jordan said. “I got stuck on the outside. I had to kind of follow Keith through and make some moves. Track position tonight kind of killed it for us.”
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