Waterford — Keith Rocco was a bit ticked after tying, but not breaking, the New London-Waterford Speedbowl career record for wins on Saturday night.

Timmy Jordan couldn’t stop smiling after earning his first victory since 2010.

Rocco won the 30-lap Late Model race for his 106th victory, tying Phil Rondeau’s record. He had a chance to break it later in the SK Modified feature, but finished fourth.

“Yeah, I am (disappointed),” Rocco said. “I’m out here to win. That’s why we're in the position we are because I just want to win. I don’t care about finishing second. I don’t care about finishing third. We’re here to win the race.”

Jordan edged Rob Janovic Jr. to win the 35-lap SK Modified feature.

Asked if he really hadn’t won anything since 2010, Jordan quipped, “maybe a $5 scratch-off.”

It was the 29th career Late Model win for Rocco, the two-time defending champion.

“It’s special (to tie the record),” Rocco said. “We just have to win one more. I’m a little disappointed we weren’t able to win the SK race. The car wasn’t that great tonight."

Rocco was hampered by two obstacles in the SK Modifieds feature. He started the race from the back after being penalized last week for being too aggressive on a restart, then got tangled up on a wreck on the first lap.

“We really abused the right rear just trying to get to the front and we got tangled up there,” Rocco said. “Next week is another week.”

Jordan was the yin to Rocco’s bummed-out yang. The Plainfield resident, and tech-ed teacher at the high school, was quick with the humor and frankness.

“I can give you the polished interview, but I'll give you the honest one,” Jordan said. "Sometimes you wonder if you’re not cut out to be behind the wheel, and it was starting to get that way. Maybe I shouldn’t be behind the wheel in Modifieds. Am I wasting my time and wasting my dad’s money?

“I just always found myself behind the 88 (Rocco) with eight laps to go. That was our season last year.”

Groton’s Ray Christian III won the 25-lap Mini Stocks race in what he called an “OK” car.

“There must not have been much else in that group,” Christian said. “I just protected the bottom and that was really about it. Protect the bottom and make them earn it; make them go around me. If you’re going to beat me, go around me.”

Corey Barry continued to give himself some inner-conflict after winning the 25-lap SK Light Modifieds race for the second week in a row. The defending champion planned to race part-time this season, but he might struggle to stick with that stance.

“We kind of made a halfway decision last week,” Barry. "We kind of told ourselves that if we came home in one piece very week that we could manage to bring it back here. As of right now, it’s a go.

“We’re definitely racing for wins, but we’re also racing to keep all four wheels on the car. If we wreck it, then it’s not coming back the next week. There’s no way. Wins are nice, but finishing is even nicer sometimes."

Chris Meyer of Norwich won the 25-lap Limited Sportsman race after going winless last season. He last won in August 2013.

“Everything on the car is 100 percent brand new, just like it was last year,” Meyer said. “The car is just kind of evil. Sometimes it performs, sometimes it’s really bad, and everyone who comes to the track saw how bad it was last year. I haven’t done anything different. (The car) is just that bad.”

Note: Grandstand admission is $5 next Saturday for residents in towns starting I-Q with proof of residency.

n.griffen@theday.com

Twitter: @MetalNED