Reigning Stafford Motor Speedway Street Stock division champion George Bessette Jr. has been suspended one week for an incident involving his team away from competition.
A penalty noticed published Wednesday by Stafford Speedway cited: “Actions detrimental to the sport, off-track, Driver is responsible for their team” as the infraction leading to the suspension.
The 16-year old Bessette was also placed on probation for the remainder of the 2019 season.
Stafford Speedway also announced Wednesday that Bessette’s sister – 19-year old Alana Bessette – has been suspended from track property indefinitely citing: “Actions detrimental to the sport, off-track.”
George Bessette Jr. is currently in second place in the Street Stock standings, four points behind Zack Robinson. He has two wins and 10 top-five finishes in 12 starts this year.
Reached Wednesday afternoon George Bessette Jr. said the incident involves a lingering personal feud between his sister and Street Stock division driver Meghan Fuller.
Alana Bessette was arrested at Stafford Speedway Friday and charged with criminal violation of a protective order brought by Fuller according to the Connecticut State Police. Alana Bessette was found to have been within 50 yards of Fuller at the track Friday, defying the protective order.
“Pretty much just track drama,” George Bessette Jr. said. “I can’t say a lot, I’ve got to keep my mouth shut right now.
“… I’m not mad at Stafford [management] right now, but I am mad at them. I’m not really happy with anything going on right now.”
George Bessette Jr. said he will return competition at the track following his suspension.
“I’m definitely going to come back,” George Bessette Jr. said. “I’m just going to come back. … I’m going for wins. I’m done being Mr. Nice guy. We’re not quitting. We ain’t done there.”
The 17-year old Fuller, the 2018 Street Stock division Rookie of the Year at Stafford, is third in the Street Stock division standings, 16 points behind Robinson, with two wins and eight top-five’s. She also competes full-time in the Limited Sportsman division at Thompson Speedway.
CAT FIGHT!!! No seriously, this sucks for George and his team. Hopefully the drama has played out, and he can finish the season on a high note.
CAT FIGHT!! Good one Rob.
Or maybe this is a perfect example of the knuckle dragging, cave man attitude that still permeates stock car racing. The same type of nonsense appears on social media.
Apologies in advance for connecting dots but if nothing else it may initiate corrections.
Fuller had some kind of legal restraining order against Alana Bessette for some previous dust up or dust ups. Generally speaking those aren’t issued without cause. We don’t know about the bad things that happened to cause that but they did happen and were very serious. Social media posts indicate Alana followed Megan into the rest rooms, violated the restraining order and what was reported is the result. Police intervention.
On one level it’s interesting Rob that you go to great lengths to hold Goodale’s feet to the fire but here it warrants opening with a joke and wishing the team that caused the mess good fortune. A guy as it turns out and young lady you have nothing to say about.
My view is the entire thing is a disgrace for the Bessette bunch. Who is the adult in charge anyway. Alana is 19 with anger issues and George is a kid. He’s rambling on about how unjust this all is, it’s got nothing to do with him and plans on acting irresponsibly when he returns to the track. Who is the adult in charge? Who is taking responsibility on the Bessette side for anything.
Good for Stafford. Keep that team on a really short leash here on in. And to all the cave men that think this is an amusing anecdote involving women and less important wake up. This isn’t 1960 and this sort of stuff is as serious as a fist fight in the pits involving guys.
“Mad dog” is a catchy racing nickname that sounds good promoting the action on the track. Only irresponsible jerks think acting out like actual mad dogs has some kind of upside.
Who is the adult in that bunch?