Valenti Modified Racing Series Winning Streak Ends In Ugly Fashion For Tommy Barrett Jr. At Stafford

STAFFORD – Tommy Barrett Jr. thought he was on his way to a third consecutive Valenti Modified Racing Series victory Friday night at Stafford Motor Speedway.

Though it wasn’t the competition that stopped him from contending for another win, but rather Valenti Modified Racing Series officials.

After blazing back from deep in the 26-car field, Barrett was black flagged on lap 68 while running in fourth place.

Officials black flagged him for leaking fluid. Barrett ignored the black flag three times before series officials stopped scoring him on lap 71. Barrett slowed on the track before coming to a stop on the backstretch on lap 74. Barrett said there was nothing wrong with his car when he stopped on the track.

“I stopped because they were pissing me off,” said Barrett, who won the Valenti Modified Racing Series event on Aug. 31 at Stafford and last Saturday’s event at the Waterford Speedbowl. “They said we were overheating, I guess a couple people were saying that, I don’t know. My gauges were fine, I was running cooler actually than I usually do. They kept black flagging me. [Ted Christopher] is out there running around for like four laps blowing smoke everywhere and they’re not even pointing the black flag at him or even thinking about black flagging him.”

VMRS race director Guy Beaudoin said the 17-year old Barrett was leaking all over the track.

“It was confirmed by our starter, it was confirmed by our corner workers, it was confirmed by the track crew of Stafford Motor Speedway,” Beaudoin said. “And he didn’t want to obey the black flag so you pay the consequences.”

After the incident Barrett, of Millis, Mass., said over the public address system: “They’re just ridiculous. They’re just the worst series.”

Beaudoin said series officials will analyze the situation and decide if there will be further penalties for Barrett.

Barrett, a rookie on the series who was suspended for two events earlier this season for aggressive drive, was relegated to a 21st place finish in the 26-car field.

“We’re just taking it week by week right now,” Barrett said. “I guess if we’re allowed to come back we’re probably going to come back, there’s nothing really else to do.”