Barker chasing first win as he gets ready to pass the torch to son

Within the next few years, Josh Barker will turn over his No. 99 Wissota Street Stock to his son, Jordan, on a regular basis. But there is something the Thompson, N.D., driver would like to do before the torch is passed.

Get that first career feature win.

“I had a couple that I should have won – driver error and mechanical failure,” Barker said. “I’m still hoping to get that win. It would be awesome to get one before I hang it up.”

Barker has raced in the Wissota Street Stocks since 2016 , with his first full-time season being 2017.  He’s raced mainly at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks.  He actually  grew up in South Carolina, and that’s where he got interested in racing.

“Growing up in South Carolina, my dad raced,” Barker said. “My brother got a car, I went and watched and it’s kind of an addiction.”

Barker has spent his whole career in the Wissota Street Stocks, and it is a class he enjoys. He’s routinely finished in the top 10 in points at RCS, and he18 top five finishes since the 2021 season.

“It’s a super competitive class,” Barker said. “You have seven different drivers that could win any given night, any track.  It’s hard to get a top five. If you are averaging top five or top 10, you’re doing a good job.”

For Barker, a challenge is getting the car to handle the way he wants on a weekly basis.

“I just want the car to do what it should so then I can say it was my fault I didn’t win, and not the car,” Barker said. “I’m ok with being outdriven or somebody being a better driver than me. I just want my equipment to work like it should.”

Barker’s season at RCS has had its ups and downs, including four DNFs. Despite those, he is fourth in the points heading into Thursday’s race.

“The season is going OK,” Barker said. “We’ve had a few mechanical failures that have cost us a few top 5 finishes.”

Jordan Barker, Josh’s son, races the No. 99 machine at Devils Lake Speedway on Saturday nights, and he will eventually take over the reigns from his father.

“He’s races the same car at Devils Lake,” Barker said. “As soon as he’s ready, he’ll take over full-time for me.  It might be another year or two, we will see how far he progresses.”

The street stock class has been a good fit for Barker, in part because of the friendships between the drivers, he said.

“The camaraderie of all of the guys. If you break something you have seven people (saying), ‘hey, I’ve got this,’ Barker said. “We all travel together and we’re all friends outside off the track. It’s business on the track, but in the pits we’re having fun. We’re all a little family at the racetrack.”

Driver Profile

Josh Barker

Wissota Street Stock #99

Residence: Thompson, N.D.

Age: 41

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