Berry, in his rookie Cup season with Stewart-Haas Racing, began Sunday’s race robust however when it was red-flagged after 219 laps attributable to heavy rain he was mired in twentieth.
NASCAR, nonetheless, elected to attend out a virtually two-hour, 15-minute delay and mandated groups run the ultimate 77 aggressive laps on moist climate tires.
Berry’s No. 4 Ford got here alive after the break and by the point of the ultimate warning which despatched the race right into a two-lap additional time, Berry was working second to eventual winner Christopher Bell.
On the select lap, Berry elected to line up behind Bell as an alternative of alongside him and after Bell received a giant soar on the restart, Berry settled for a third-place end.
Chris Buescher, RFK Racing, Fastenal Ford Mustang, Josh Berry, Stewart-Haas Racing, Miner DOCKS, DOORS, AND MORE. Ford Mustang, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, SiriusXM Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photos
“We have been debating backwards and forwards on backside or high (lane). I actually wished to take the entrance row, nevertheless it simply appeared slick down there, proper, and I simply felt like I’d be caught racing in all probability Chase (Briscoe), who would have been on the skin,” Berry defined.
“Actually, I believe I in all probability simply actually pushed Christopher on the market actually exhausting, and I believe that form of checked my momentum. Then I simply received slightly unfastened off of (Flip) 2 and received Chase again to my left rear.
“He form of drug me again, and we received caught racing and needed to drag race there to the road.”
Nonetheless, the end was the most recent in a resurgence for Berry and the No. 4 workforce after a gradual begin to the season. All 4 of his high 10 finishes this 12 months have are available in his final six races and he’s moved as much as nineteenth within the collection standings.
Nonetheless in want of a win
He’ll nonetheless want a win to make the playoffs this season however even that gave the impression to be a chance late within the race.
“The rain was a brand new alternative for us, and we capitalized,” Berry mentioned. “The automotive was actually, actually good that second half. I imply, we reduce proper up via there. Simply began out the day actually robust and ended it robust, too.”
The 77-lap stint was the longest Cup drivers have run on moist climate tires since NASCAR carried out their use on shorter oval tracks.
Groups have been allowed to vary tires twice down the stretch beneath cautions however throughout non-competitive pit stops and solely to new moist climate tires.
Berry mentioned having automotive from the beginning helped his efficiency within the antagonistic situations.
“It’s positively a problem. It’s intense, nevertheless it’s a lot enjoyable,” he mentioned. “I discovered myself driving round beneath warning simply making an attempt to determine the place the grip is at, what pavement has grip, whether or not the paint has grip, doesn’t have paint.
“You then see us working via the water on the frontstretch. I’ve by no means achieved something like that in my life, however, man, it was a lot enjoyable.
“Our automotive was actually robust. That helps. It’s not simply us driving within the rain. It takes the changes and the air pressures and every part it takes to make it go on the rain tires. So much to be happy with.”
