● Rolling the dice, upping the ante and winning big are things that happen in Las Vegas, whether in a casino or behind the wheel of a racecar. Just ask Josh Berry, who in six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for JR Motorsports was on a roll from 2021 to 2023, tallying two wins, a pole position, four top-five finishes and five top-10s, an average start of 7.6, an average finish of 5.0, and completing all but one of the 1,203 laps available. In September 2021, Berry started 15th, led 38 circuits, and took the checkered flag 4.398 seconds ahead of runner-up Justin Algaier. Berry’s second victory came in October 2021 when he started 12th, led 65 laps and beat now-Stewart-Haas Racing NASCAR Cup Series teammate Noah Gragson by 1.125 seconds. Berry added a pole position in his most recent Xfinity Series start at the track last October, leading 11 laps on his way to an 11th-place finish. Stewart-Haas Xfinity Series driver Riley Herbst drove to his first career series victory in that race.
● Berry made 10 NASCAR Cup Series starts in 2023 as a substitute driver – five for an injured Chase Elliott and three for an injured Alex Bowman at Hendrick Motorsports, then two in place of Gragson at Legacy Motor Club. The first of those 10 races came in the March race at Las Vegas, when Berry started 32nd and finished 29th.
● The 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval has been the site of two NASCAR Cup Series wins for crew chief Rodney Childers and the No. 4 team. Among his 24 Cup Series races atop the pit box, Childers’ drivers have tallied three pole positions, five top-five finishes, 10 top-10s, an average starting position on 11.7 and an average finishing position of 15.1 with just two DNFs (Did Not Finish).
● This week, the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will don the iconic colors of Mobil 1 and Take 5. Mobil 1 has partnered with Take 5 Oil Change®, the quick-lube service that features a unique drive-thru concept that allows customers to never leave the comfort of their car. Mobil 1 is available at Take 5 locations nationwide, and the expanded availability of Mobil 1’s range of products is being highlighted on Berry’s No. 4 Mobil 1/Take 5 Ford Mustang this Sunday.
● The Mobil 1 branding on Berry’s No. 4 Ford Mustang goes more than skin deep as the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand gives Berry an added advantage. Mobil 1 products are used throughout his racecar and they extend beyond just engine oil. Power steering fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil and driveline lubricants from Mobil 1 give Berry a technical advantage over his counterparts by reducing friction, heat and rolling resistance. Mobil 1 is a sponsor whose technology makes Berry’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang faster.
Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1/Take 5 Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Las Vegas has historically been a solid place for you in the Xfinity series. Moving up to the NASCAR Cup Series, what was the most difficult thing to overcome?
“The cars are different and that is the obvious answer, but it really boils down to the guys I’m competing with each weekend. These guys, from top to bottom, are all really good drivers. If you look at even qualifying, the top-10 guys are separated by sometimes hundredths of a second whereas the Xfinity gaps are larger. Getting used to competing with just a higher level of competition has been the biggest hurdle.”
Has it begun to sink in that you are a few races away from your rookie season coming to an end?
“I honestly don’t think so. I think Sunday right before the last race I may feel like it feels like the end, but not yet. We, as a group, feel like we’re just focused on taking the season one week at a time, even in the unusual circumstances of the season. It takes a lot of resiliency, and Rodney (Childers, crew chief) has done a really good job of just helping me navigate those rookie-year distractions and keeping me focused, and I really appreciate everybody on the No. 4 team for continuing to work hard and showing up, despite all of our challenges this year.”
What is one of your biggest takeaways from this season that you will help you in year two of your fulltime NASCAR Cup Series career?
“I think it’s just trusting myself. I’ve raced a lot in my life and the one thing that has gotten me here has always been believing in myself and my ability to drive anything I get in. I know my career has been helped by a lot of great people like Dale (Earnhardt Jr.), and Mr. (Rick) Hendrick, who gave me a chance to fill in with the No. 9 and No. 48 last year, but I bet on myself in those situations and, without that, I’m not sure what my career would look like.”
● Event: South Point 400 (Round 33 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 20
● Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
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