Reigning Again: Larry Barnett Back In Street Stock Victory Lane At Thompson Speedway 

THOMPSON – When the night of racing was over on June 27 at Thompson Speedway, the track’s all-time winningest Street Stock driver was just about ready to call it quits for a while. 

After wrecking car in the feature that night at Thompson, Larry Barnett had ideas of just not fixing the car. 

“I really got out after wrecking the car the last time and said ‘I think I’m all done. I don’t have the energy to fix it.’

“… I was like, ‘It’s so stressful, it’s so much work, you know what, maybe I can take a break.’ And I love this dearly, but you’re exhausted trying to remember everything. As you get older and you’re trying to remember every stupid thing, it gets harder and harder.” 

A few phone calls sparked the fire back into Barnett to repair his car for the next race. 

“I went home and people started checking in on me and I got the energy to do it,” Barnett 

That next race came Thursday at Thompson and for Barnett the drive to keep going paid off perfectly. 

Barnett dominated on the way to victory in the 20-lap Street Stock feature.

It was the 62nd Street Stock victory at Thompson for Barnett and his first at the track since Oct. 9. 2021. 

“It’s super hard to keep going on this stuff, but so rewarding when you do this,” said Barnett, a six-time Street Stock champion at Thompson. “So that’s what keeps guys like me fighting as hard as we can. 

“… I’ve got five grandaughters over here. That’s pretty cool. Not too many people do this with five granddaughters watching.” 

Scott Sundeen of Douglas, Mass. was second and Ryan Waterman of Danielson third. 

To hear lots more from Barnett on his drive to keep winning at 62 years old, his frustrations of 2023 and his concerns about the future of a track he has competed at since 1990 listen in on this Unmuffled Quickcast