Keith Rocco Lands Top Whelen Modified Tour Ride; Ronnie Silk Accepts Sunoco Modified Seat at Thompson
Thompson, CT — Keith Rocco has been named the new driver for the T.S. Haulers # 12 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour car owned by Ed Partridge. Rocco will replace Jimmy Blewett for the balance of the 2009 season beginning with this week’s running of the Bud 150. In addition, Ronnie Silk has been given the seat in Partridge’s Sunoco Modified in Thompson’s NASCAR Whelen All American Series division. These changes were announced Monday by team owner Ed Partridge. Rocco will continue to drive the number 6 Interstate Diesel Sunoco Modified in Thompson’s weekly competition.
In announcing the change, Partridge told Thompson Speedway that “things have gotten to be too much for Jimmy. He has huge family and family business commitments and he just needed a break. All is good between Jimmy and me and he will still drive my car at Wall Stadium. He will probably drive one of our Sunoco Modifieds at Thompson’s World Series,” Partridge concluded.
Keith Rocco is thrilled at the chance to drive a top notch WMT race car. “I am definitely excited. This is a great opportunity, said Rocco. Jimmy Blewett and I are really close friends and he has been giving me tips and pointers on the car and the Tour. He’s given me some great advice and it means a lot.” Rocco has competed once before in a WMT car at Thompson. That outing came last October when he drove the Joe Brady car during the World Series of Speedway Racing.
Rocco is in a tough battle with Woody Pitkat for the Thompson Sunoco Modified championship and is also in the thick of points battle for the NASCAR national championship.
Ronnie Silk will join the ranks of the Sunoco Modified division in the Partridge owned #12 this week. Silk has had much success at the Thompson. He has three WMT wins to his credit. The first coming in September of ’07 and that was followed by back-to-back wins in June and August of ’08.
The New England Dodge Dealers presentation of the Bud 150 is scheduled for Thursday, September 3rd. Qualifying begins at 5:30 PM with the Bud 150 scheduled for a start time of approximately 8:45 PM.
Sources: Russ Dowd/Thompson International Speedway PR