Patrick Barrett Racing

Patrick Barrett clinches championship with a win on Saturday and a second on Sunday

Patrick Barrett won the 2006 SCCA Pro Formula Russell Championship Presented by Yokohama Tires title this weekend by winning on Saturday and finished second on Sunday at Infineon Raceway near Sonoma, California. Barrett, the 16 year old from Los Osos, California, set a new qualifying record for the ALMS configuration on his way to the Saturday pole and outpaced Jeff Westphal by five seconds for the win, and set fast lap of the race. Mark Nason followed Westphal across the line for third. Barrett’s tenth win of the season ties Formula One star Scott Speed’s 2001 series win record.

Pat Barrett leads the first lap of Saturday’s main event of the SCCA Formula Russell Championship, presented by Yokohama (photo by Patrick Barrett Racing)

“Winning the championship and the race today is a great feeling, that’s for sure! I’m very happy with how this season has gone. My main goal coming into the series was to win the championship and finish as high as I could in every race and I believe I’ve accomplished that goal”, said Barrett with a big grin on his face. “The car had a small fuel pick up problem in some of the low speed corners, especially in turn 7 and 11. I had to compensate by getting on the throttle earlier into the turns and hope that the timing was right for the engine to kick in for the rest of the turn. Aside from that everything ran very smoothly and I’m pleased with today’s result!”

“The Formula Russell Championship has taught me so much this year. I’m very excited about taking what I’ve learned and putting it to good use in the future.”
Barrett’s prize for winning the Championship and the Rookie title is $25,000 in cash to help fund his next racing opportunity, and there should be plenty of good ones to choose from.

“This young man has what it takes to be a racecar driver,” said Kjell Kallman, general manager for Jim Russell Racing Schools. “His racecraft and his finishing record only tell half the story. What impresses us most is how well Pat conducts himself when he’s not behind the wheel. He’s bright, professional, and well liked by the other drivers. In today’s motorsports environment, that is almost more important than how well you finish. Pat gets it and that will take him places.”

2006 Formula Russell Champion Patrick Barrett (photo by Patrick Barrett Racing)

Jeff Westphal raced to his first win of the season after setting a new qualifying record for Sunday’s modified ALMS configuration. Westphal and Barrett ran close together for the first half of the race but Barrett was unable to make a move for the lead. Barrett drove to a hard fought second, finishing just ahead of a charging Tyler Dueck who broke the lap record for Sunday’s track layout on his way to the podium. After the race Dueck jumped onto his dirt bike and rushed up the hill just in time to make the final of the Stars of Karting ICA race where he capitalized on his momentum to finish second.

“I was somewhat disappointed with not coming away with win number eleven, but at the same time I was glad to hold off Dueck for second place and maintain my string of fourteen consecutive podium finishes this year. I was dealing with a bit of an unbalanced brake bias, which was not adjustable, and it was quit difficult to keep myself from locking up the front tires. But I knew I had to drive though it and push as hard as I could and I’m happy with my result.”