Josh Berry’s resume points to him as a top short track racer, but the JR Motorsports driver may need to expand that profile. Berry’s No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet led an outstanding 65 laps en route to victory in the Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday – his second victory in the last three races at the 1.5-mile high-banked track.

Berry took over the lead from AJ Allmendinger with 34 laps to go as the pair raced side-by-side at the front of the field on the race’s late restart. Berry was even pushed into the outside wall before recovering to take the lead for his fifth career win.

Las Vegas native Noah Gregson, who led a race-best 87 laps to win his 14th stage of the season, finished second, 1.125s behind Berry. Justin Allgaier was third to solidify the podium win for JR Motorsports.

The win is significant as Berry has automatically earned a spot in the Championship 4 for the season finale at Phoenix Raceway on November 5 – his first opportunity to compete for the championship title.

“I think I hit the wall about 12 times,” Berry told his team over the radio during the cool-down lap.

When the 31-year-old Tennessee native eventually got out of his Chevy at the finish line, he took the time to remove his helmet — standing next to his Chevy and soaking in the importance of the day and the implications of the championship — a far cry from his job as a bank teller years ago.

“I was a little bit stuck [Turn] 4 all the time, and [Allmendinger] left me a lane but nothing too much but I didn’t let go,” said Berry, who hasn’t led a lap in the last six races. “It was a trip to Phoenix and I was ready to hit the wall or whatever. We had a tough few weeks or months, but we knew we could do it if we were at our best.

“Was careful from 30 to the end and was able to wrest the lead from those guys and create enough [points] space to save it,” Berry said. “I’m just telling you, I’m speechless.”

Berry’s win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway also capped a memorable day for Chevrolet. It marked Chevy’s 500th win all-time in the series and clinched Chevrolet’s sixth consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series manufacturers’ title.

Allmendinger – the regular season champion was due to pit under the green flag shortly after Barry took the lead up front – a pair of flat tires ultimately derailing his day. Allmendinger’s 22nd-place finish in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet was the lowest among the eight current playoff drivers.

Joe Gibbs driver Ty Gibbs and former DAYTONA 500 winner Trevor Bain rounded out the top five on Saturday. Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill, JRM’s Sam Mayer, Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemrick, JGR’s Brandon Jones and Our Motorsports’ Anthony Alfredo round out the top 10.

Allmendinger was the only playoff driver to finish outside the top 10.

Thanks to Berry’s win and automatic promotion to Championship 4, Gragson now leads the standings by 19 points over Gibbs and 29 ahead of Allgaier.

Hill (-15), Allmendinger (-16), Jones (-29) and Mayer (-36) advance to the next round needing points in the two races remaining – at Homestead and Martinsville – to establish a four-car championship lineup “Phoenix”.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standout Haley Deegan made her NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in Las Vegas, finishing a very respectable 13th in her first race.

“I’m very excited right now. The guys gave me a great car,” Deegan said, noting that she would welcome the opportunity to race more in the Xfinity Series if the sponsor picks up the funding.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to the playoffs next week in NASCAR’s tripleheader weekend at Homestead-Maami Speedway with Saturday’s Contender Boats 300 (4:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Mayette Snyder is the defending race winner.

RESULTS

https://racer.com/2022/10/15/an-xfinity-series-vegas-two-in-a-row-for-berry-and-jrm/

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