Keith Rocco

Keith Rocco is the most accomplished driver in the history of the Waterford Speedbowl. He has the most wins and the most championships and what makes his assault on the Record Book even more impressive is that he accomplished most of it in only a 10 year span (2008-2017).

The son of former Plainville Stadium Champion Ronnie Rocco, Keith started his short track career in the Speedbowl’s Street Stock division (called Sportsman at the time) during the early 2000’s. He got his first career win on Aug 30, 2003. In 2004, he won 3 times and came out on top of one of the wildest championship battles in Speedbowl history over Ed Gertsch Jr, Norm Root Jr and Dwayne Conant. Rocco then left the Speedbowl for the SK Modified division at Stafford Speedway.

After running a few SK Modified races back at the Speedbowl in late 2007 to help his chase of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series title, Rocco came back to the shoreline oval full-time in 2008 driving Mike & Mark Pane’s #57 SK Modified. They would win back-to-back SK Modified Championships together in 2010-2011. In 2010, they also won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Championship, clinching it in the quickest number of races possible.

Starting in 2013, and now driving his own #88 car, Rocco would win 5 straight track titles from 2013-2017. Overall, Keith won 89 SK Modified races from 2008-2017 and led the division in wins every season. He also became the first driver to win 10 SK Modified races in a single season (something he did 4 times) and set a new season record of 13 wins in 2011.

While rewriting the SK Modified Record Book, Rocco simultaneously started driving Scott Fearn’s #1 Late Model. He won 37 races from 2011-2015 and back-to-back Late Model Championships in 2013-2014. He also joined Phil Rondeau and Bruce Thomas Jr as drivers who won 10 or more Late Model races in 3 straight seasons. Next driving for Beth & Mike Sullivan, Rocco won 12 more Late Model races and back-to-back titles again in 2016-2017. Rocco is the only Speedbowl driver to win two championships in two different types of cars in the same season… and he did that 4 different times.

Rocco would jump into many different types of cars during this era and find victory lane, including the Modified Racing Series, Pro-Four Modifieds, NEMA Lites and Trucks. He passed Phil Rondeau as the Speedbowl’s Career Wins Leader in 2015. He left regular competition after the 2017, but has visited the track numerous times since and added to his win total.

His most recent win came in 2025 in an Open Street Stock race, his 8th different division to win a race. His 157 wins and 12 track championship are two of many Speedbowl records Rocco holds.

STATISTICAL SNAPSHOT

All stats through 2025 season. Keith Rocco is still an active competitor – his stats will be updated after each season he competes at the Speedbowl

KEITH ROCCO
SPEEDBOWL PHOTO ALBUM