Gov. Rell Welcomes Rocco’s Return Visit To Conn. Capitol
Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell recently welcomed Keith Rocco, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Connecticut state champion, to her office for the second consecutive year.
Rocco, 24, of Wallingford, Conn., won his first NASCAR Whelen All-American Series state championship and finished fourth in the nation in 2008. This year, he again won the state title and finished second in the national ranking to champion Philip Morris of Virginia.
Rocco was honored by Gov. Rell last year for his NASCAR state championship, and on his return visit this year, she told him, ‘Well, we meet again.”
“It was pretty cool seeing Gov. Rell again,” Rocco said. “She recognized me right away. She absolutely knows racing.”
Rocco competes in the Modified divisions at Stafford Motor Speedway, Thompson International Speedway, and Waterford Speedbowl. He won the 2009 track championship at Thompson, and his finished with 13 wins and 25 top 10s in 45 starts at the three tracks.
”We keep climbing and getting closer to the top in the final national standings each year,” Rocco said, “It would be cool to take the national champion’s trophy to show the Governor next year.”
The NASCAR Connecticut champion was determined by the driver’s highest 18 finishes at NASCAR sanctioned tracks within the state.
The crowning of champions in a U.S. state or Canadian province continues a tradition of honoring the best short-track racers which dates back to the earliest days of NASCAR.
Rocco was honored last month at the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet at the Concord (N.C.) Convention Center.
Since its inception, NASCAR’s local racing series has served as a springboard in the careers of many top drivers. NASCAR stars Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Elliott Sadler and Brian Vickers all began their careers racing their NASCAR-sanctioned local short tracks.
Sources: Paul Schaefer/NASCAR PR