Valenti Mod Racing Series Officials Reviewing Status Of Driver Tommy Barrett Jr. With Series

Tommy Barrett Jr. celebrates a Valenti Modified Racing Series victory last year at Thompson Speedway

Tommy Barrett Jr. celebrates a Valenti Modified Racing Series victory last year at Thompson Speedway

One thing is certain about the Valenti Modified Racing Series when they visit Stafford Motor Speedway: Tommy Barrett Jr. is always a threat to win.

Though the question is, will that be a factor when the series makes its first of three stops at Stafford Speedway in 2015 on May 22?

Barrett, who had been competing full-time on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, was arrested on April 17 in Willimantic for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The 19-year old Barrett was suspended by Whelen Modified Tour team owner Chris Our for the division’s NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 on April 26 at Stafford Motor Speedway. Our announced Saturday that he was replacing Barrett with driver Keith Rocco.

NASCAR has not definitively set any formal punishment for Barrett, though it was announced on April 23 that the sanctioning body would not allow him to compete in any NASCAR sanctioned events while they went through a formal review of the situation.

Barrett raced full-time with the Valenti Modified Racing Series in 2012 and 2013 before joining Chris Our Motorsports full-time before the 2014. Even while driving full-time on the Whelen Modified Tour, Barrett continued to run part-time on the Valenti Modified Racing Series with his family owned team. He won the Valenti Modified Racing Series event at Stafford on Aug. 29, 2014. Three of Barrett’s eight career series win have come at Stafford.

Valenti Modified Racing Series director Warren Alston said series management has not seen an entry from Barrett for the event, but he said he wouldn’t expect to see that until more like a week before the event.

Alston said series owner Jack Bateman is in the process of reviewing the situation. Bateman was not available for comment on Wednsday.

“Jack and I did have a discussion about Tommy,” Alston said. “We were looking to … , Jack was looking to, speak to Tommy to gather the right information. Not what’s been posted on media – not knocking media guys – but getting the facts, so Jack can make a decision based on that. And then for the series, he wants to compile that information and sit down and look at what he thinks should be done. I know that there are concerns. Do you let him race? Do you not let him race? All those things are playing into it. I can’t officially say one way or another. I know Jack was going to try to reach out to Tommy to get the facts and understand everything right from him and then go from there.”

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Comments

  1. 450mike says

    This is growing disaster.

  2. Andy Boright says

    Hopefully the VMRS handles this situation in a better and more professional manner than it has handled other controversies in the recent past.

  3. chris clark says

    The kid made a big mistake a mistake that is already costing him so much in losing his ride on the whelen tour and a possible suspension. I am not a fan of the kid but let the kid race this has been blown up so much

  4. karma police says

    Like this hillbilly backwoods series cares about him getting in trouble. Perfect chance for them to shove it up his backside for all the bashing of them his mouthpiece up in Agawam did.

  5. Chris D. says

    Maybe he won’t even enter the Stafford race…maybe council advised against it. If he does race, I think I’ll wear my “drive sober or get pulled over” t-shirt I got at Stafford last year, to help raise awareness.

  6. old observer says

    Please, can all of you name callers, etc back off, This is America & you are innocent until proven guilty!
    I hope the VMRS officials check on his ability to compete & let him race. That said, He should mind his P’s & Q’s while racing.
    No, I’m not TB fan but think we need all the facts before convicting him.

  7. So I know VMRS isn’t NASCAR sanctioned but a some of the tracks they race at are. It’s my understanding that NASCAR has revoked is NASCAR license while they investigate. So my question is would this effect him racing at a NASCAR sanctioned track or possible cause an issue with insurance?

  8. NH Mark says

    First off, if TB has not filed an entry why is this a story?? We have a debate about something that isn’t actually happening? I agree with everything that has happened to him up until now but this seems like a stretch. That said, TB just needs to lay low for a bit. Stay away from the track, figure out the legal stuff and then ask Nascar for reinstatement at a later date. I would suggest he and his “people” make a public statement regarding this situation. The no comment thing only prolongs the pain. Public Relation 101, never say no comment.

  9. Andy Boright says

    If Tom Brady had said “no comment” 4 months ago he would be in a better place than he is today.

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