On Sunday at Darlington Raceway, Josh Berry will make his maiden Cup Series playoff appearance. Considering the weight of the moment, one would expect him to have the burning desire to reach Victory Lane quickly and advance to the next round. But he has chosen to stay grounded and race steadily for the moment.
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The Wood Brothers Racing driver secured the chance to race for the championship through a stirring victory at Las Vegas early in the season. He told the press at Darlington that he and his crew don’t see the need to win races as long as they secure top finishes that get them through to the Round of 12.
His explanation went, “I mean, obviously, it’s all the things that I’m saying, right? We just need to go be solid. We don’t have to go hit a home run.
“I think we feel like three top-10s would be enough points probably to make it to the Round of 12. I mean, that’s where our head is at. As long as we keep doing that, there’s not too much to think about until something changes.”
This does not mean that Berry will not make attempts to go for the win. It just means he wouldn’t be doing anything reckless to force himself to the front end. Last year, with Stewart-Haas Racing, he finished third in Darlington. He takes motivation from that result for the upcoming race.
The No. 21 Ford Mustang pilot added, “I think we ran well in both those races last year, ran well in the spring. I don’t feel like there’s any reason why we can’t do it again this weekend.”
Thanks to a splendid qualifying effort, Berry will start the Southern 500 from third place on the grid.
Will Berry have a special approach for the Southern 500?
Like every other driver on the field, Berry holds the crown jewel event in high regard. “It’s high up there,” he said. “It’s just such a fun track for one, but just a historic race. Just a tough race, a grind. I think we all want to survive that, and be in victory lane at the end of the day.”
Getting through this test of endurance will be a difficult task. As Christopher Bell put it, it is an event that separates the men from the boys.
While it is certainly one that everyone wants to chisel into their resumes, Berry doesn’t have any magical approach to it. He admitted how it is easy to overthink these situations and mess it all up. So, for Team Berry, it will be business as usual.
