Berry, in his rookie Cup season with Stewart-Haas Racing, began Sunday’s race sturdy however when it was red-flagged after 219 laps resulting from heavy rain he was mired in twentieth.
NASCAR, nonetheless, elected to attend out an almost 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 an enormous 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
Picture by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images
“We had been debating forwards and backwards on backside or prime (lane). I actually wished to take the entrance row, but it surely simply appeared slick down there, proper, and I simply felt like I’d be caught racing most likely Chase (Briscoe), who would have been on the surface,” Berry defined.
“Actually, I feel I most likely simply actually pushed Christopher on the market actually laborious, and I feel that type of checked my momentum. Then I simply received a bit of unfastened off of (Flip) 2 and received Chase again to my left rear.
“He type of drug me again, and we received caught racing and needed to drag race there to the road.”
Nonetheless, the end was the newest in a resurgence for Berry and the No. 4 group after a gradual begin to the season. All 4 of his prime 10 finishes this yr have are available his final six races and he’s moved as much as nineteenth within the sequence 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 risk late within the race.
“The rain was a brand new alternative for us, and we capitalized,” Berry mentioned. “The automobile was actually, actually good that second half. I imply, we minimize proper up via there. Simply began out the day actually sturdy and ended it sturdy, too.”
The 77-lap stint was the longest Cup drivers have run on moist climate tires since NASCAR applied their use on shorter oval tracks.
Groups had 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 automobile from the beginning helped his efficiency within the antagonistic circumstances.
“It’s positively a problem. It’s intense, but it surely’s a lot enjoyable,” he mentioned. “I discovered myself using round beneath warning simply attempting to determine the place the grip is at, what pavement has grip, whether or not the paint has grip, doesn’t have paint.
“Then you definitely see us working via the water on the frontstretch. I’ve by no means performed something like that in my life, however, man, it was a lot enjoyable.
“Our automobile was actually sturdy. 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. Lots to be happy with.”
