Keith Rocco Wins 2008 Stafford SK Modified Championship
Stafford Springs, CT — Heading into the CARQUEST Fall Final Weekend, Keith Rocco led Ted Christopher by 14 points in the chase for the 2008 SK Modified® track championship. When Christopher’s car slowed with mechanical problems on lap-37, Rocco only needed to complete the final three laps of the season to lock up his first career championship. Rocco gave chase to eventual race winner Woody Pitkat, but came up just short of the win. Rocco’s second place finish was enough to clinch the championship, his first career championship at Stafford Motor Speedway.
“After its all over and you look back on it, you realize that this doesn’t happen overnight,” said Rocco. “It takes all 17 races and a lot of hard work during the season. You come down to it, it was only Ted and myself in contention for the championship at the end of the year and it was a big deal to win it.”
The championship was not only a first for Rocco, but it was the first SK Modified® championship for long time car owners Jean-Guy and Brigitte Poulin. The Poulins announced that the 2008 season would be their final season as owners in the SK Modified® division, and Rocco says it meant more to win the championship for them than for himself.
“It definitely means more to me to be able to win the championship for Jean and Brigitte,” said Rocco. “They’ve done so much for me the last couple years, they’ve put a lot of money, time, and effort into my racing that it means a lot to me to be able to win this championship for them in their last season.”
Rocco began the 2008 season as a championship contender right out of the box, sitting second in points after the first three races. Rocco took the points lead for the first time after the June 13th event and he stayed at the top of the standings for a month before Ted Christopher took the points lead back after the July 11th event. Rocco and Christopher swapped the point lead the next several weeks, with Christopher holding the lead from August 8th through September 5th. Rocco stretched a small margin up to 14 points heading into final race, where he locked up the championship. Before he started racing, Rocco worked as a crew member for Christopher and was part of several of Christopher’s Stafford championships.
“We figured around midseason that we had a real shot at winning the championship,” said Rocco. “We had about a 30 point lead and then we were trailing by a couple points and then worked it back up to 14 going into the last race, so we knew it was going to be a tough battle against Ted. There is always a doubt if you can actually win the championship, its never over until the final race is finished. There is no one who has won more races at Stafford then Ted, so it feels great to beat the best.”
Rocco will officially be crowned the 2008 SK Modified® track champion at the 39th Stafford Motor Speedway Champions Awards Ceremony on Friday, November 14, 2008 at the La Renaissance Banquet Facility in East Windsor.
For more information about the Champions Awards Ceremony, or to order tickets, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR