Tommy Barrett Jr. (Photo: Tim Bradbury/Getty Images for NASCAR)
STAFFORD – While drivers of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour greeted waves of fans during the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler Pit Parts at Stafford Motor Speedway Sunday morning, one driver stood behind the cars lined alongside the frontstretch at the track simply watching.
It was clear Tommy Barrett Jr. preferred to try to blend in on the infield unnoticed.
At the No. 22 Our Motorsports car normally driven Barrett, former NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion Keith Rocco greeted fans and signed autographs.
Rocco was named by Our Motorsports team owner Chris Our to replace Barrett in the car for today’s Whelen Modified Tour NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler after the news was revealed that Barrett had been arrested for driving under the influence on April 17 in Willimantic.
The 19-year old Barrett, of Millis, Mass., is in his second season driving on the Whelen Modified Tour for Our Motorsports. The team also had plans to run select ARCA Racing Series events this year with Barrett.
Barrett said Sunday morning that he didn’t want to comment at this point about any of the recent events that led to his suspension. Barrett is due in Danielson Superior Court Monday regarding his arrest.
It’s unclear at this point what Barrett’s future is with the Our Motorsports team. Our made clear last week that as of now the deal with Rocco is for one event. The Whelen Modified Tour returns to action May 30 at the Waterford Speedbowl.
Whelen Modified Tour director Jimmy Wilson said Sunday morning that NASCAR officials are investigating the situation and have made no decisions concerning any further punishment going forward for Barrett.
Smart move Tommy. Do not make any comments to anyone as this is still an ongoing legal issue. Why would anyone even ask him to make a comment????? Good luck young man.
If no comment is a “smart move”, it’s the first one he’s made since April 17th
Come on people, Back Off, let everyone work through this and make a decision after ALL the details are known!
PS I’m far from a Barrett fan but hate seeing someone beat to death without all the facts.
Apparently you don’t understand how the law works. This is an ongoing legal matter. You keep quiet until the process works itself out. If he were to say “well I made a mistake” or anything along those lines, those words in an interview can be held against him. The real question is why would anyone ask him for comment with an ongoing legal matter. That’s just crazy.
…because as a reporter it is their job to ask the question. Sure, most of the time the response Barrett gave is what they will get, but the question has to be asked.
If Barrett is going to be at a high profile event like the Sizzler, then he should have expected to be asked questions about his suspension.
I’d have to assume that Shawn did his due diligence and asked Tommy “the question”, given the sentence, “Barrett said Sunday morning that he didn’t want to comment at this point about any of the recent events that led to his suspension.”, that was included in the article. Otherwise, as others have stated, he should keep his mouth shut until the legal matters are concluded.
The smart move would have been to stay home yesterday. He needs new advisors.
How refreshing it would be if people owned up to their mistakes rather than lawyer up to see what they can get away with. Whether it be Hillary Clinton hiding her emails, A-rod hiding steroid use, John Rowland trying to hide his corruption…always the same crap, get the best lawyer, deny everything, and buy your way out of it. The people who say shut up and don’t comment are the same ones who complain that O.J. got off. And before you say O.J. and drunk driving don’t compare, think of the victims killed by drunk or reckless drivers every day. T. B. Will get more respect if he owns up to his mistakes than if he lawyers up his way out of it. We all make mistakes, it is how you handle it when you get caught that people will remember.
Chris, I agree. My statement for him keeping quiet was in regards to the fact that he did lawyer up, indicating that he is going to defend himself, which he has the legal right to do.
I don’t remember Stefanik having to sit out for any DUI’s…?