STAFFORD – The battles between Keith Rocco and Ronnie Williams for victories in SK Modified features this year across the state have proved fun and feisty.
And local race fans got a double-dose of that battling this week.
On Wednesday it was Rocco holding off the charges of Williams to win the SK Modified feature at Thompson Speedway.
Friday the theater moved to Stafford, with an added player.
Williams held off the closing lap challenges of both Rocco and Stephen Kopcik to win the 40-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature at Stafford.
“That was a crazy race for sure,” Williams said, “Keith definitely had the better car there. But I think we had the better car at Thompson and he ended up winning. He gave me a couple shots. It was just good hard racing and we both made it out in one piece. That’s how it should be. Not wrecking, hard racing for the fans, hard racing for us.”
It was the fifth victory of the season for Williams, the reigning SK Modified champion at Stafford, who took over sole possession of the standings lead.
Rocco, of Wallingford, was second and Kopcik, of Newtown, third.
“I did everything I could do to get him off the bottom,” Rocco said. “He did what he had to do to win the race. He kept the thing on the bottom. I’d get the outside and he’d bait me in just far enough. It was fun. I punted him about as hard as I could and he got pretty crossed up and I had to let him save it. It’s good for the fans and good for everybody else here.”
Congrats to Ronnie, Adam, Les and the #50 Les’s Auto Center team. Win #5. Great job guys
Congrats to Ronnie and the 50 Team great race, tons of respect for Keith and the 88 Crew keep it up🏁
Not too often Rocco gives praise to someone when he gets beat. Finally he is seeing the big picture/ have fun and put on a show for the fans.
Here’s what I’m noticing.
Clearly Williams is peaking at the right time. However he can’t afford to slip with Owen down 10, Rocco down 26 with 5 events left. Even with a rain out or two there is little margin for error.
Also noticeable is how fast and equal Williams, Rocco and even Kopcik, Gervais and Owen are. The slightest set up misjudgment and you lose.
I’m seeing a real horse race here and if we’re really lucky it will come down to the Fall Final.
Congrats to Ronnie and Keith as well as Kopcik on a great show. Racing the way it should be with a little banging and rubbing without excess. I also appreciate Keith NOT punting Ronnie from the lead on the last lap. With so many equal cars this season it is enjoyable seeing a race won by whoever gets to the front first. It is better than the previous punt the leader off the bottom in 3 and 4 on the last lap. Makes for a great and enjoyable race
Fun race to watch, lots of side by side action after the late leaders had to survive through the carnage. Congrats to the 50 team starting 15th and putting on a clinic on how to work through the field. Realistically and mathematically only 5 drivers remain for the championship hunt. The 17 is the real long shot. Along with Doug’s comments the biggest issue will be tire inventory management. Of the top 4 teams, who will have to be on old tires more than once in the last 5 races and when will they do it. Tire strategy and timing could decide it. RichO, I agree but there was a HUGE punt Rocco put on Ronnie putting the 50 sideways but the 88 didn’t finish the job, let off and let him recover on lap 39. It’s in the article and video and live I thought the 50 was spun. Also, what about the 21 pushing the 50 into the wall at the end of the back straightaway. He said he was going to give it back to the 50 but that was just a cheap move around lap 32. In Tech, the 50’s right front tire was white walled and the rim bent with concrete barrier in it. How it stayed beaded is a mystery. Right side nerf bar bent with wall damage. I hope the 21 is done being angry and driving like a mad man. Let it go already.
Kopcik is an idiot. The only way he gets to the front is by starting there, or punting and chopping everyone on his way, ynlije Williams,and Rocco.
Kopcik an idiot? Might not be the right word. He works for Fuller and generally you have to be pretty sharp to work for LFR I should think.
Kopcik a dirty driver. I have to say I’ve never sensed that in the years’ he’s been racing. I’ve always put him in the Gervais, Christopher, Berndt category. Low drama.
So he’s got that new LFR and the question is has it helped him improve his results. Let’s take a look.
In 16 races he’s started at the average position of 8.7 and finished at 9.8. He’s lost positions in 10 races, gained in 4 and was even in two. He’s got a win, a second, two 3rds and a 4th. Highlights of the season were on July 12 when he gained 9 positions to take a win and July 19 when he gained 15 to come in second. Low light was the period from 5/31 to July 5 when he lost positions in 6 straight races and a whole lot at that.
I don’t know if the team considers this a good season or not. He’s got some good finishes and a win that is really hard to come by. 8th in points isn’t bad considering how brutal the competition has been. But consistent they have not been bouncing around like a ping pong ball.
There’s definitely been some improvement in the latter part of the season as they get a grip on the newer car so we’ll see how they finish out the season.
It’s an LFR in the SK’s that makes it a kind of unicorn. Who doesn’t like a unicorn?
@Doug, Kopcik no longer works at LFR
Just Me. Just another anonymous contributor. No idea of who it is or whether the information being passed on is accurate. All I know is I never doubt it to be anything but 100% accurate and grateful when you decide to straighten me/us out.
If you know what Steven is up to that would be nice to know as well.
I need to clarify my comment about Stephen not working for Fuller anymore. He’s not working for Fuller full time at the Massachusetts shop. I believe he’s doing some side work for LFR from his place in Connecticut where he keeps his SK as well as some other side jobs.
Working full time at LFR, maintaining your own race car, supporting LFR at the track, crew chief for Rob Summers on the tour, having a girlfriend and spending time with family is overwhelming for anyone never the less being a young person as Stephen.
Thanks!