Keith Rocco
WATERFORD – It was cruise control to the century mark for Keith Rocco Saturday at the Waterford Speebdowl.
Rocco ran away with victory in the 50-lap Late Model feature at the Waterford Speedbowl Saturday.
It was the 10th victory in the Late Model division this year for Rocco, his 21st victory of the season at the track and 100th victory overall in his career at the shoreline oval. He also has 10 SK Modified division victories this year and a Valenti Modified Racing Series victory.
Rocco became only the third driver in the 64-year history of the Speedbowl to record 100 victories.
“That’s a big number,” Rocco said. “We’re in the triple digits now so we’re doing something.”
Rocco is chasing the all-time track record for overall wins of 106 held by Phil Rondeau. Don Collins is second on the track’s all-time win list with 101 victories.
Rocco also won the SK Modified division feature Saturday at Waterford.
In the Late Model feature, Rocco went to the lead past Bruce Thomas Jr. of Groton with 30 laps to go and never was challenged again. Thomas ended up second and Jason Palmer of Berlin third.
Randy Churchill of Oakdale held off Glenn Griswold of Vernon over the final two laps to win the 25-lap SK Light Modified feature.
Corey Barry of Plainfield was third.
Garrett Denton of Hope Valley, R.I. won the 25-lap Mini Stock feature.
Charles Canfield of New Haven was second and Brandon Plemons of Uncasville third.
Congratulations Keith and crew!
Way to snap that LM losing streak you have been suffering through.
Yes way to break that long 1 race winless drought.
Awesome, raced and watched his dad race also.
Both are great drivers
I’m waiting for him to break the bandolero win mark. #walling8yearolds #bigwheels250
PHIL RONDEAU DID IT WHEN THERE WERE 26 CARS STARTING EVERY RACE AND 15 CARS THAT COULD WIN EACH WEEK. KEITH RACES AGAINST 10-15 CAR FIELDS AND MAYBE 3 OR 4 HAVE A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY WIN. KEITH DOESN’T EVEN COME CLOSE TO THE DRIVER PHIL IS AND WAS.
Racefan, I know it’s a common refrain from detractors that in Keith’s time at the track he hasn’t raced against anybody. And during that span in an SK Modified he’s raced regularly against guys like Dennis Gada, Ron Yuhas Jr., Jeff Pearl, Ted Christopher, Tyler Chadwick, Rob Janovic Jr., actually the majority of the top-10 winners of all-time in that division have raced regularly against Keith. I know it’s easy to throw that out there that’s he not raced against anybody there, but basically in the process you’re essentially saying that 75 percent of the top Modified drivers that have raced there are terrible.
@ racefan
A couple of old sayings that may help you in the future…
It’s better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Only a fool hates that which he knows nothing about.
I COULD GO BACK AND FORTH ON WHO IS A GREAT DRIVER AND WHO IS NOT, BUT ITS NOT WORTH IT. IS KEITH A GOOD DRIVER? ABSOLUTELY. DID HE RACE AGAINST GOOD DRIVERS? YES. NOT ALL OF HIS WINS WERE IN MODIFIED, BUT LET’S ADDRESS THIS ARGUMENT. GADA WAS GREAT, PEARL GREAT, YUHAS GREAT, AND HE RACED AGAINST ALL OF THEM AT THE END OF THEIR SPEEDBOWL CAREER. GADA AND PEARL RETIRED. CHRISTOPHER IS NOT AND WAS NOT WHAT HE USED TO BE. IF YOU PUT CHADWICK OUT THERE IN THE 90’S AND EARLY 2000’S HE’D BE LUCKY TO WIN A RACE. JANOVIC DID NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL MOST OF THE HEAVY HITTERS STOPPED RACING. BUT THAT WAS NOT MY ARGUMENT AT ALL…..THE FACTS ARE THAT ROCCO HAS GOTTEN A HUGE CHUNK OF HIS WINS SINCE 2010 WITH LOW CAR COUNTS AND LESSER COMPETITION IN THE LATE MODEL DIVISION. IF HE RACED AGAINST GUYS LIKE JAY STUART, ALLEN COATES, PHIL RONDEAU, BRIAN MCCARTHY, LARRY GOSS, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON WITH ST. HILAIRE, DOROTHY, BERTRAND, ETC. ETC. HE WOULD HAVE BETWEEN 60 AND 70 WINS TOTAL NOT 100. WHAT RONDEAU DID WAS AMAZING AND IN MOSTLY ONE DIVISION NOT RACING TWICE A NIGHT. BUT ANYWAY @TOM YOU SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO INSULT PEOPLE WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY KNOW.
Are we talking about who was good or who is good? Mario was ‘gooder’ than all of them combined!!!
Congrats to Keith on reaching the 100 mark – he’s still got time to pass Rondeau this year!