Like all major sports, NASCAR has its share of superstitions. The most well-known of these is perhaps the peanuts, who were completely prohibited from the racetrack since they were thought to be unlucky. All of these ideas are based on the idea that doing things a certain way will either have positive or negative effects. For example, shaving is prohibited on race day. As a superstitious person, Dale Earnhardt Jr. undoubtedly used his techniques to help Josh Berry win the race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Dale Jr. and Berry now have a close bond. Berry lived with Jr.’s mother and his family before he was able to rent an apartment before he began racing competitively.
Dale Jr. always desired the best for his driver, first joining the Late Model program and later joining the Xfinity Series. When Jr. watched Berry win his first Xfinity Series race at Martinsville in 2017, he remarked, “I felt like I had watched my own son or brother win a race.” After the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing car completed the last few circuits in Vegas, the veteran driver was struggling with these kinds of feelings. Watching him battle the top drivers on Sunday after having raised him through his early racing career in the late models was so overwhelming for Jr. that he had to use his superstitious techniques in the hopes of helping Berry cross the finish line.
A Triumph Too Great to Witness Berry outperformed a group of seasoned drivers to achieve a career-defining moment while driving the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing. Earnhardt, co-owner of JR Motorsports and a two-time Daytona 500 champion, watched from home while his emotions fluctuated. His impact now extends beyond his racing days as a broadcaster and team owner, and this triumph by a driver he had supported since 2010 felt just as much his as Berry’s. Daniel Suárez in the No. 99 Chevrolet engaged in a duel during the last laps. Berry was down by 0.8 seconds with five laps remaining, but he surged ahead on Lap 263 with a flawless restart.
In Turn 3, he passed Suárez on the outside, maintained the lead through the white flag, and finished Lap 267 1.3 seconds ahead of Suarez. But Jr. wasn’t around to witness it, and instead relied on superstition to see his friends win. In only three words, Dukes of Hazzard star Josh Berry publicly displays his cup supremacy. The tension was too much for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to manage. The JRM owner’s stress increased as Berry soared. “I was in my home, sitting there. I send Amy a text. Amy texted me about the kids when you had five laps left, and I just replied, “Josh.” “Josh, what?” she asked. What, Josh? And I think, ‘He’s going to.’ She then asks, “Is he going to win?’ I said, ‘White flag.’
“I couldn’t even talk,” I thought. I was unable to even think. With five laps left, I got up and went to take out the trash. I was unable to observe. Dale Jr. disclosed on his podcast. “I’m thankful for the Facetime call that meant so much, for all the people you wanted to connect in that moment, you reached out to me,” he said after his jitters calmed down after speaking with Berry from the victory lane. “Hey, I was talking to Tony Gibson, and he said that Alan Kulwicki was a gas guy when he won the ’92 [Hooters 500] championship.
He’s like, I didn’t watch the last two laps. I just huddled down against the pit wall,” he recalled. The 1992 Hooters 500 was a nail-biter, with Kulwicki needing to outlast Bill Elliott to clinch the title by a mere 10 points, one of the closest championship finishes in NASCAR history.
Gibson’s retreat mirrored Dale’s own escape to household chores, a shared thread of nerves among those tethered to racing’s high stakes. “Man, when you get in those moments, like if you’re not doing it, if you’re not out in the car, you’ll experience that probably someday where you’re like, ‘I can’t even watch.’ And I bet there’s a lot of people just like me that are in your world that were the same way, that are just so over the moon for this to happen.”
Dale’s disappearance from the screen as Suárez forced Berry into Turns 1 and 2 on the last lap mirrored the fear of the crew, family, and fans who had followed Berry’s ascent. He let his pride show: “I apologize for making it about myself, but I was really proud of you, guy. I was ecstatic for you. Berry’s berth in the 2025 playoffs was guaranteed by the victory, but Dale’s favorite part was the FaceTime call from victory lane—a nod from Berry that really resonated with him.
A Connection Created in the Heart of Racing
Josh Berry, a tenacious short-track racer from Hendersonville, Tennessee, joined JR Motorsports’ late model program in 2010, which marked the beginning of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Berry’s tale.
Before witnessing Berry’s brilliance on actual asphalt, NASCAR great Dale, who has a penchant for identifying talent, first saw Berry’s promise on the iRacing simulator. Early in life, Berry struggled to make ends meet by working as a mechanic, living with Dale’s family in North Carolina, and racing part-time while looking for sponsors. In 2014, Dale gave Berry his Xfinity Series debut at Iowa Speedway with JR Motorsports, opening the door even further. When Berry drove the No. 8 Chevrolet to his first Xfinity victory at Martinsville Speedway in 2021, that faith paid off. With a voice full with passion, Dale said that day, “I’m proud of Josh,” giving a sneak peek at the pride he would experience in Las Vegas years later. The journey of Berry to the Cup Series had its twists. After honing his craft with JR Motorsports, he moved to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2023, only to see the team fold at the end of 2024.
Berry was signed to Wood Brothers Racing for 2025 thanks to Dale’s support during each detour, which included giving him advise, setting up opportunities, and encouraging him from the sidelines. In a post-race interview with Kevin Harvick, following his Pennzoil 400 victory on March 16, 2025, Berry said, “He’s just become a great friend.” He is not opposed to simply phoning me and inquiring about my well-being. That victory in Las Vegas was more than just Berry’s; it was a milestone that the two of them shared and evidence of a partnership that had endured years of ups and downs. From short-course setbacks to Cup Series success. They have a long-standing relationship that combines respect and mentoring. Berry’s triumph in Las Vegas was like watching a long investment pay off for Dale.
They have a long-standing relationship that combines respect and mentoring. Dale compared Berry’s success in Las Vegas to the joy Bill France Jr. experienced when NASCAR’s up-and-coming talent made their breakthrough. From virtual races to promoting his brand in NASCAR’s inner circles, he had committed more than ten years in Berry, and witnessing him defeat Daniel Suarez to win the Cup vindicated every move. Berry saw it as evidence that he could get from the dusty tracks of Tennessee to the largest stage in the sport with perseverance and the steady hand of a mentor. Berry’s triumph, which guaranteed him a spot in the 2025 playoffs, was more than just a high point for him; it was a moment that symbolized their shared path. Evidence of a connection made in racing’s heart.
