Keith Rocco apparently wasn’t in much of a sharing mood Friday at Stafford Speedway.
In the third race of the night Friday at Stafford, Tom Fearn won the 30-lap Late Model feature. It was Fearn’s 77th career victory at Stafford, tying him with Keith Rocco for third place on the track’s all-time win list.
But it was a distinction Rocco didn’t give Fearn much time to revel in.
About an hour late Rocco took back sole possession of the spot on the all-time list.
Rocco, of Wallingford, took the lead from Troy Talman on lap 11 and went unchallenged the rest of the way in winning the 40-lap SK Modified feature.
“We had a rough start to the year but we’re back in the game,” Rocco said. “I’m so excited to have my kids here tonight. My son is racing Go-Karts now and I’ve got to listen to him every time he beats me and wins a race. It’s pretty awesome to have both of them here tonight. I absolutely love it.”
It was the second victory of the season for Rocco and moved him back to being alone in third place on the track’s all-time win list with 78 career victories. The late Ted Christopher leads the track’s all-time win list with 131 victories. Woody Pitkat is second with 80 wins.
It was Rocco’s 67th career win an SK Modified at Stafford. He sits second on the division’s all-time win list for the division. Christopher leads the division win list with 109 victories.
Tyler Hines of North Haven was second and Talman, of Oxford, Mass. third.
“It was a good run,” Hines said. “I wish I could have got a little closer to battle Keith at the ed there. We just missed a little bit, but overall a really good run.”
Said Talman: “With how this year has gone, I’m just really happy to be here. We’ve had success during the day and won our fair share of heat races, but those don’t pay any money. So, I’m just happy we had a car that lasted for the most part in the feature.”
Skl best race of the night again…sk race no cautions turned the race into a yawner.
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Too many cautions and it’s a wreck fest, no cautions and it’s a yawner.
The first 10 laps of the race terrific, the last 30 not so much. Watching the times it was clear Hines was every bit as quick as the 57 at the end just not quicker. A caution and restart would have been fun but likely would have produced the same result for the first two podium cars.
Also a yawner was Mr. Consistency who did not have one of the quickest cars but turned in yet another top five finish. He leads everyone in top 5 finishes with some ridiculous number in the teens that no one has come close to. So Mr. Owen turns in a yawner of an SK feature event and in the process expands his lead making the points race a yawner as well. That’s not to imply it’s easy just that he makes it look easy sometimes with his experience and skill level.
What the heck is the deal with the 85 and 50? They seem to be in proximity a lot this year, this time on pit road retiring early. Their absence along with the two suspended drivers contributing to the less then electric race no doubt.
92,20,18,26,12,44,2. Those are the points differentials for the first 8 teams in the points race that is also turning into a yawner. The one interesting battle would be Hines and Kopcik fighting for 8th separated by just two points. Oops, no that will gap out as well with Kopcik still suspended next week. Oh well there’s always the prospect of a new SK winner by gum.
Have a snowbird buddy up from Fla. On his wish list was to hit the track. Unfortunately, due to some medical issues he unfortunately has, next week was out, (Thompson or the Lincoln tech)
So, for the first time in I don’t remember how long, we decided the regular Friday night show at Stafford would be it.
I gotta give Stafford credit, as the place looks great, and is well run. I mean, there are not too many tracks where you can pee and not miss the victory lane interviews!
Just a beautiful, summer night there. And tons of families with kids. Boy, its been a while since ive seen that.
For the racing? Yeah, not 1, not 2, but correct me if I’m wrong, 3 races with no cautions! How often does that happen! Yeah, was disappointed to see the 50 get pushed off before the green flew in the Sk. Thought the best race of the night was the SKL for sure. Streets had some great moments as well. Could not believe it! By my watch, everything wrapped up by 9:07 (or so) PM.
So, sometimes, even if the shows are yawners, its about getting out, enjoying a great summer night at a well run track, with people you care about. That part took me back to the “old days” for sure! On that side of the experience, it was over the top. Well done Stafford.
nice clean racing tonight,, pretty good action in the pack through out.. love the caution-free races… good job to all involved..
Wow Keith Rocco wins, and the comment from Doug isn’t 3 paragraphs about how much he hates Keith!!
Ricky says:
“Hey Doug wasn’t it you that said this a few weeks ago?
“So is this a turning point for the 57? I’m thinking no.”
Since that win a DNF due to no fault of his own a third and another win. Still say he hasn’t turned a corner Doug?”
That’s the proper way to bust chops Ricky not whining about something you’d have liked me to say but didn’t. You didn’t think to say it I had to do it for you but it is true. When Rocco says he’s back he surely has been. Last night classic Rocco coming from 12th to first in 10 laps and cruised.
The only person I hate in racing is that poor excuse for a human being Bemer. Otherwise I’m a naysayer with a short list including Rocco, Sapienza and anyone in the Anglace racing clan. Williams and Coby off the list.
Why Rocco? It all changed with the punch last year. Stand up, mature family men don’t do that. Risking being hauled away in handcuffs not giving a thought to how it would affect the track, his family, potential liability if someone landed in the hospital….didn’t think. Younger guys like Kopcik and Wesson get a pass, The Roc not that far off a hip operation to help him enjoy all the rich things in his life should have known better.
As a fan I can like anyone for any reason and be a naysayer as long as it’s in bounds and the paddock is in bounds. A prior admirer for everything he’s been to local racing, his accomplishments, driving but more importantly what he knows as a technician. The punch a huge disappointment and changed it all.
Define it as hate if that’s the best you can do. For me admiring a driver or anyone in racing starts with success for sure but a close second is handling themselves with a degree of discipline in the toughest situations.
Rocco did turn the corner on the track this year. Off the track I’m still waiting for him to turn the corner, act like a man enjoying his passion other then just after a win and impart it to all the fans that love seeing him race.
Doug is like the professed football fan who judges the superbowl based on how good or bad the commercials are. If you are a real fan of the sport, no need to listen to him.
I’ve raised your ire and understandably so. Being critical of any legend in local racing is not going to be popular with a lot of people.
Speaking of football this is nothing compared to the heat I’m getting on message boards advocating for this season to be a make or break one for the GOAT Bill Belichick of the Patriots. Getting awful sick of reading “in Belichick we trust”.
Just thinking out loud here what would it take to get a poll with categories predicting the Patriots record this year. A little outside the box but so is iced coffee. Give it some thought.
Real American, real Christian, “real fan of the sport” it’s all the same to me. Meaning the person setting the bar level is long on conviction but short on ability to make a case for it.
Zoom, zoom!
A lot of moving pieces Doug.
No McDaniels, and new coaching pieces to gel. Lot of new (but some really young, quick pieces) this year.
Got to get through preseason first, but I’m optimistically thinking, in the 11-6 range. Optimistic being the key word there. I’d be good with that. Football is one of those wild cards. For me, its always about injuries, and how deep you are stacked in the position that just took the injury hit. But just too early to tell. To be successful in this division though, they have to be able to put together a decent pass rush. Allen will kill them twice, if they don’t. (As well as others) We shall see……
On to thompson….
There is another football fan here. And knowledgeable one at that. Cool beans!
Agreed it’s all about injuries. 11-6 isn’t being optimistic in my view it’s more akin to believing in the good fairy and unicorns. Brutal schedule in the front and back end.
So one of the best offensive coordinator’s in the league leaves, takes pretty much the entire offensive coaching staff with him and the GOAT does what? Takes his Super Bowl winning defensive coordination, puts him on offense and hires another failed head coach. Then they both with no NFL offensive play calling experience get on the job training in camp learning jobs their promising second year QB and backup Hoyer probably know better. Meanwhile his mullet headed thirty something son who couldn’t get another job in the NFL calling defensive plays and oversaw the debacle last year losing 4 our of the last 5 games mainly because of defense continues in place responsible in part for revamping the entire linebacker philosophy from heft to speed while the NFL ready defensive coordinator is over learning offense. Only the GOAT could get away with that. Any other coach did that and the owner would make his job contingent on mandatory counseling.
It’s bridge year for the offensive coaches to learn the job, to experiment with a new running scheme and more speed on defense then next year more cap space and game on. 9 wins absolute best result, 8 equally as likely and 7 not out of the question. Forget the Bills, just try to meat Miami once.
Add in, the “patriot way”, of letting great people walk (admittedly most of the time has to do with cap) and buying a bunch of veterans over the years to see if any pan out. I’m 50-50 on that, but really Cam Newton experiment? Sometimes you gotta wonder. All that time invested hanging on to Stidham during ir’s and he ends up going with McDaniels anyway. Its just stuff like that I wonder about. Looks like we have decent running backs this year, safety’s stacked, corners? Well, at least there is some competition going on. Better than how I felt about that position before the draft.
If one or 2 guys we picked up with speed can gel with offensive scheme, we may get a receiver that can create separation. Im more optimistic there now, than I was last December.
Its the edges on defense et al; that I hope comes together. And with some depth.
Love my pats just like old blue. But just like old blue, I hold my breath every race they are in, just like I hold my breath for every game the pats are in! Jmo!
You know your stuff for sure. Can’t take issue with any of it in fact it’s almost like a mind meld.