The management of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series announced Wednesday that that driver Sam Rameau, his father Randy Rameau and their Rameau Family Motorsports team have been indefinitely suspended by the series.
The announcement came not long it was announced that Sam Rameau, Randy Rameau and the Rameau Family Motorsports team have been banned from all events at Thompson Speedway and any other events or tracks sanctioned by the American-Canadian Tour or the Pro All-Stars Series because of their involvment in an attack on driver George Bessette Jr. during an event on Sunday at Thompson Speedway.
A statement from the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series read:
“Effective immediately, the managing partners of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series have unanimously elected to indefinitely suspend Sam Rameau, Randy Rameau, and Rameau Family Motorsports from competing with the Monaco Modified Tri Track Series.
“As a Series, we stand in solidarity with Cris Michaud, ACT, Tom Mayberry, PASS, and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in finding their behavior following an on-track incident on Sunday, October 8, 2023, unacceptable.”
Sam Rameau is a two-time winner on the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series. He is currently 17th in the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series standings after starting all four events this year. Sam Rameau had been scheduled to run the final two events of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series season for team owner Doug DiPisa.
On lap 85 of the 100-lap Thompson Outlaw Modified feature Sunday, second place running Bessette was under then race leader Sam Rameau going into turn three. The pair made contact, with Bessette’s car ultimately driving over the front end of Sam Rameau’s car and Sam Rameau’s car spinning and wrecking hard into the wall.
The race was restarted and moments after the restart commotion erupted behind the pit wall at the turns one and two end of pit road where Bessette was parked sitting in his car.
Videos posted online showed Bessette being confronted by Sam Rameau and crew members from the Rameau Family Motorports team while Bessette was still sitting in his car behind the pit wall. Witnesses said Bessette was forcefully pulled from his car by Sam Rameau and a member of Rameau’s team. Video also shows an individual wearing a Rameau team fire suit striking someone with a helmet who was on their knees.
Bessette left the track in an ambulance. According to a social media post from a family member, he sustained no significant injuries. A track official was also hospitalized for injuries after being struck by someone with the Rameau team.
Connecticut State Police at Troop D in Danielson said Tuesday afternoon that no arrests have been made in connection to what took place.
Sam Rameau was the 2019 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Rookie of the Year. He ran full-time with the Whelen Modified Tour in 2019 and 2020. He has run part-time with the series the last three seasons. He has run five Whelen Modified Tour events this year and finished 21st in Sunday’s Sunoco World Series 150 Whelen Modified Tour event which took place before the Thompson Outlaw Modified event.
A NASCAR spokesperson said Wednesday afternoon that the sanctioning body is gathering and reviewing information concerning what took place Sunday involving Rameau.
Sam Rameau won his first SMART Modified Tour event at Pulaski County Motorsports Park (formerly Motor Mile Speedway) in Radford, Va. on Oct. 1.
Race of Champions Series owner/operator Joe Skotnicki said Wednesday that Sam Rameau, Randy Rameau and the Rameau race team have been suspended indefinitely from participation with that series in alignment with the ACT, PASS and the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series.
Also on Wednesday, Lee USA Speedway, Hudson Speedway and Claremont Speedway announced in conjunction that they have banned Sam Rameau, Randy Rameau and Rameau Family Motorsports indefinitely from competing at those facilities.
Wednesday evening JDV Productions announced that Sam Rameau, Randy Rameau and Rameau Family Motorsports have been indefinitely suspended from all JDV Productions events and all events at Monadnock Speedway.
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