On Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series playoff elimination race took an unexpected turn when Josh Berry’s car caught fire. This critical race, designed to reduce the playoff contenders from 16 down to 12, faced added challenges due to tire conditions and track temperatures. The event was particularly tense as Goodyear introduced a much softer right-side tire, which quickly deteriorated under green flag conditions.
Track temperatures caused the softer tire rubber to mar the outside racing groove rather than bonding to the track surface, leading to accumulation around key car components like headers and exhaust pipes. This buildup ignited flames behind Berry’s right front tire on lap 76, forcing an immediate response as his car emitted thick smoke.
Response to the Incident and Immediate Impact on the Race
Berry managed to enter pit lane while the race was still under green, but smoke inside the cockpit made it impossible for him to reach his pit stall. Upon stopping, the smoke worsened, causing Berry to exit the vehicle for his own safety. Safety officials reacted swiftly, extinguishing the fire and prompting NASCAR to throw a caution flag to control the situation.
The fire ended Berry’s run in the playoffs, as the damage forced his elimination from advancing to the next round. The incident reflects the ongoing difficulties teams faced with the tire and track conditions during this highly competitive event.
Josh Berry Shares His Frustration After the Fire
“It started smoking a few laps before we pitted. We tried riding around a couple laps but when we slowed down, it was getting pretty bad there,”
Josh Berry told NBC Sports.
“This is so disappointing. That was going to be a lot of fun, that was right in our wheelhouse. That could have been our opportunity right there, for sure.”
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks. Definitely not the way we wanted our first round to go.”
“This is going to be a tough one to watch. That was going to be a lot of fun.”
Looking Ahead: What This Means for the Playoff Field
The early elimination of Josh Berry marks a significant moment in this NASCAR playoff race, showing the harsh impact of both equipment and track conditions. As the race continues under caution, teams and drivers must adapt quickly to avoid similar setbacks. The tire strategy and track behavior will remain major factors influencing the rest of the playoff rounds at Bristol Motor Speedway.
