No. 31 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet Camaro SS – Josh Berry
Start: 31
Stage 1: 17
Stage 2: 28
Finish: 8
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 78 (3 Laps of NASCAR Overtime)
Laps Led: 0
Stage 1: 17
Stage 2: 28
Finish: 8
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 78 (3 Laps of NASCAR Overtime)
Laps Led: 0
Stage One Recap:
- Berry would start the B & L Transport 170 from the 31st position after the starting lineup was determined by the competition-based performance metrics system; fastest lap in the previous race 15 percent, driver finish from previous race 25 percent, owner points 25 percent, and driver points 35 percent.
- As the green flag waved and the cars raced towards Turn-1, No. 9 would get pushed off the track at the green flag damaging his car and would come to a stop on track bringing out the first caution of the race. Berry would navigate the dodging and braking cars to successfully gain eight spots moving into the 23rd position.
- The Lap-5 restart would see Berry advance into a multi-lap battle with No. 8 the pair would trade positions for several laps before Berry would seize the spot.
- The second caution would fall on Lap-8 with the No. 31 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet sitting in the 23rd position.
- With restricted pit stops being used this weekend teams would opt for using strategy to complete their service and gain track position once stops would cycle through after the completion of the Stage break.
- Lap-22 would see the leaders come to pit road for their fuel only pit stop under green flag conditions.
- Berry would jump up seven positions by remaining on track.
- Hitting his marks, the remaining two laps Berry was able to compete Stage 1 in the 17th spot.
Stage Two Recap:
- At the stage break, Berry would come to pit lane to make his fuel only stop first as teams are not allowed to fuel and change tires on the same stop. After fueling complete Berry would leave pit lane and would make another lap around the 2.258-mile track and return to pit lane for his four-tire change.
- With the leaders pitting off sequence to remain out front Berry would get shuffled back to 20th on the restart as no positions can be gained or lost on pit road under the revised pit rules. Berry would gain two additional positions as the No. 51 and No. 8 would encounter pit penalties and be forced to start at the tail.
- Lap-32 would see the No. 7 car go to the garage with drive train problems. Berry would advance another position to the 19th spot.
- With the possible help from another car and misjudging the braking zone Berry would go off track on Lap-34 successfully avoiding the gravel trap but would lose significant amount of track position fading back to 32nd.
- The fourth caution would fall on Lap-42 as the No. 51 would stall on track. Berry would remain on track and restart in 30th.
- With nothing to lose Crew Chief Arthur (Artie) Haire would call Berry to pit lane on Lap-45 for a fuel only stop under green flag conditions in search of gaining track position once pit stops cycle back around after the stage break.
- Rejoining the field in the 29th position after the fuel stop, Berry would advance one position in the final two laps to finish Stage 2 in 28th position.
Final Stage:
- Under the stage break, Berry would come to pit lane for his four tires only stop after previously completing his Fuel only stop. The gamble to come to pit road early would pay off as pit stops would cycle thru. Berry would restart the final Stage in the 13th position.
- When the green flag flew Berry would hit his braking marks in each corner still trying to get the hang of racing a road course.
- Dropping back a few positions to 17th the sixth caution would come out on Lap-68 as the No. 10 would spin into the gravel trap and would become stuck.
- As the field would restart the Stage on Lap-72 No. 22 at the front of the field would get punted into the grass and out of contention, and just a lap later the seventh caution would come out for a multi-car accident with lead cars with some of the front-runners inquiring heavy damage.
- With cars in front having to go to pit road for repairs Berry would restart in the 7th position.
- Coming to the restart the No. 02 would stop on track forcing NASCAR to remain under caution for another lap forcing NASCAR overtime.
- As the race restarted on Lap-77 Berry sitting in the 7th position would drop back a few spots coming to the white flag, but the No. 8 would spin out of fourth spot in turn 3 and the No. 98 would slow considerably after making contact with No. 23. Berry would navigate thru the dirt and tire smoke to slip back into the 8thposition.
- When the checkered flag flew on Lap-78, Berry would cross the line in the 8th position. Giving JAR its third top-ten finish in NXS in three weeks.
Josh Berry Quote Box:
- “I’m tickled to death to finish inside the top 10 – I really am” Said Berry. “I have never run a road course in anything other than iRacing or a go kart. I’m tickled to death and happy for this group. They’re working hard, trying to build something and this should get them enough points where they can keep on keeping on. It’ a good day for all of us.”
- “It’s just difficult,” Berry said of road course racing. “I didn’t know the limit of the brakes and the car. I didn’t want to make a mistake early on and lose a lot of time. I wanted to make it to the end, that was the number one goal.”
B & L Transport 170 Recap:
- Despite getting a pit road penalty as the final stage of the BL Transport 170 was set to start, No. 16-AJ Allmendinger drove through the field and won his second race of the season.
- No. 11-Justin Haley finished second, No. 54-Ty Gibbs finished third, No. 19-Brandon Jones and No. 23-Andy Lally rounded out the top five. No. 68-Brandon Brown, No. 1-Michael Annett, No. 31-Josh Berry, No. 39-Ryan Sieg and No. 92-Josh Williams made up the rest of the top 10.
- Allmendinger and Haley won the two stages, both recording their third stage win(s) of the season.
- There were 7 lead changes among 5 drivers and 7 cautions for 23 yellow flag laps.
JAR PR
Follow us on Twitter @SpeedwayDigest
Latest posts by Speedway Digest Staff (see all)