May 28, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

Josh Berry collects JR Motorsports first Charlotte victory

CONCORD, N.C.—In 74 attempts, JR Motorsports had never won at their home track—Charlotte Motor Speedway—until Josh Berry pulled off the feat on Saturday.

In an epic battle between teammates, Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry traded the lead five times during the ALSCO 300.

With 23 laps remaining, Berry slid to the inside of Allgaier for the lead and eventually the win.

“Man, it’s so amazing,” Berry said. “This car was so good. Mike (Bumgarner, crew chief) and this whole group works so hard. We’ve been getting better every week. I think the sky is the limit as we continue to learn about each other and keep getting better.

“That was a battle with Justin. It always is with us. We always seem to run good at the same places and always have to race each other. He slipped up in (turn) one—and I got loose, too, and it all worked out.”

Ty Gibbs, polesitter Sam Mayer, Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece, Daniel Hemric, Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, Trevor Bayne and Myatt Snider rounded out the top 10.

Berry won the first stage under caution from Ryan Ellis clipping Kyle Weatherman on the frontstretch. Jeffrey Earnhardt and Myatt Snider were collected in the melee. Gragson, who led 32 of the first 35 laps, reported a power issue before coming to pit road with the lead-lap cars. Allgaier grabbed the lead in the pits and maintained the point until Lap 75 when Jeb Burton slid sideways in Turn 2.

Allgaier continued in the lead when the race returned to green and marched on to the Stage 2 win—his third of the season and a record 10-straight for JR Motorsports—1.989-seconds ahead of Berry.

Berry gained the lead in the pits on Lap 94. It was smooth sailing for 10 laps until Riley Herbst had a tire go flat on the backstretch to trigger the seventh caution. Ryan Preece nosed out to lead over Berry on the Lap 110 restart but his progress was slowed by a pileup between Turns 3 and 4. Austin Dillon, who cut a tire following contact with Brandon Jones on the backstretch, slid up into Ryan Sieg and collected Anthony Alfredo, Stefan Parsons and Joe Graf Jr., in the process.

When the race returned to green on Lap 120, Berry regained the point with Allgaier in tow. Allgaier pitted on Lap 157. Berry pitted one lap later. Allgaier cycled out to the lead on Lap 163 with Berry in pursuit.  On Lap 177, Berry went to the inside of the No. 7 Chevy for the lead through Turns 1 and 2 and Allgaier slid up into the wall.

Allgaier closed to within a car lap of Berry before hitting the wall on Lap 186 and destroying his right rear tire.

“That was a heck of a way to lose one boys,” Allgaier radioed to the crew after returning to the track. “I’m sorry.”

With 15 laps remaining, Berry checked out. He crossed the line with an 18.039-second lead over Gibbs and just six cars on the lead lap.

“Great race car guys, thank you so much," Berry said after his second win of the season. You allow me to do things I never thought I could do. We’re only going to get better. There’s more to come. I’m not going to do a burnout. I hate to destroy cars that run this good."

AJ Allmendinger remains the point leader despite his streak of 12 top-10 finishes ended when a tire went flat on Lap 131. He finished 19th.