Keith Rocco is greeted in victory lane by his son KJ after winning the first SK Modified feature Wednesday at Thompson Speedway
THOMPSON – For most of the last decade Keith Rocco has been a dominant force in the SK Modified division at Thompson Speedway.
But as the sun begins to set on the 2015 season, the wonder began to arise, could the Wallingford driver get shut out of victory lane at the track in an SK Modified this year.
Rocco made sure there would be no wondering about that going to October.
In the penultimate racing card of the season at Thompson, Rocco drove away from the field in the closing laps to win the first of two 25-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified features Wednesday.
“We’ve had a fast car every week right from the Icebreaker and just always get the wrong lane,” Rocco said. “… It’s always something stupid. But I give [car owner Todd Ceravolo and the team] a lot of credit. They stuck with it and worked very hard and it’s a pleasure to drive their car and get a win for them.”
Woody Pitkat of Stafford was second and Ryan Preece of Berlin third.
Rocco went by Nick Ladyga for the lead into turn three on lap six and never trailed again.
Pitkat went to second past Ladyga on lap seven and Preece to third on lap eight, but the two contenders couldn’t mount a challenge on Rocco out front.
“We finally got the car turning really good,” Rocco said. “It was almost too good. I was pretty free through the middle [of the corners], holding on for dear life in the corner.”
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