Dirt track racer Thomas Tillison of Oklahoma has closed to within two points of Keith Rocco in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national standings (Photo: Courtesy NASCAR/Salina Highbanks Speedway)
For the ninth consecutive week Keith Rocco was at the top of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national short track standings, but a new pursuer has closed close enough to rattle his cage.
Or should we say, kick a little dirt at him.
The new player near the top of the standings is Thomas Tillison from Wellston, Oklahoma.
Tillison moved to second place nationally this week, within two points of Rocco.
Rocco, the 2010 national champion, competes full-time in the SK Modified divisions at Waterford, Stafford Speedway and Thompson Speedway.
Rocco, of Wallingford, has 644 points with eight victories, 22 top-five’s and 28 top-10’s in 33 starts.
Under the point structure for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I standings, a race winner receives two points for every car in the event up to 18 cars. Second place receives two fewer points and so on through the field. Three bonus points will be awarded to a race winner with a single-digit starting position and five bonus points will be awarded to a race winner with a double-digit starting position. Whelen All-American Series points season will run through Sunday, Sept. 20.
Tillison races in Oklahoma at Salina Highbanks Speedway and Flint Creek Speedway in West Siloam. Both are .375-mile ovals. Flint Creek is a first-year NASCAR-sanctioned track.
Tillison has 10 victories and 18 top-five’s in 22 starts, which is good for 642 points.
Ryan Preece of Berlin fell from second to third in the standings.
Preece competes full-time in the SK Modified divisions at Stafford and Thompson Speedway and part-time in the Tour Type Modified division at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway. Preece has 615 points. He has eight wins, 24 top-five’s and 30 top-10’s in 32 starts this year.
Lee Pulliam, of Semora, N.C., fell from third to fourth in standings this week. Pulliam has 612 points on the strength of 18 victories, 29 top-fives and 31 top-10’s in 34 starts this season at South Boston (Va.) Speedway, Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va. and Caraway Speedway in Sophia, N.C. Pulliam won national championships in 2012 and 2013.
Modified driver Jimmy Zacharias of Candor, N.Y., who competes at Chemung (N.Y) Speedrome and Holland (N.Y) Speedway is fifth nationally with 590 points on eight victories and 19 top-fives in 20 starts.
Ted Christopher of Plainville, who competes full-time in the SK Modified divisions at Stafford and Waterford fell from eighth to ninth nationally this week with 518 points with four victories in 30 starts.
Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., who competes full-time in the SK Modified division at Stafford and got his division leading sixth win of the season last week, moved from 15th to 12th nationally this week with 496 points for 16 starts.
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