Late model ace Josh Berry knows a thing or two about winning on short tracks.
But when he arrives at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum for the Busch Light Clash on Feb. 4, the quarter-mile oval that awaits will be an entirely different experience for the NASCAR Cup Series rookie.
“My experience running late models on short tracks is going to be useful,” said Berry, who will pilot the No. 4 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing. “I think how the race will unfold will be similar to some of the bullring events I have run over the years, but I think the Coliseum itself is going to be its own animal.”
The narrow confines of the quarter-mile have been known to produce a bit of bumping and banging among the 23-car field in the past — a factor Berry has already accounted for.
“Contact is inevitable, but with that said, you have to give and take,” Berry explained. “I think you will have to be aggressive, but also be mindful of keeping your nose clean and maintaining track position.”
He compares the temporary setup at the Coliseum to North Carolina’s Wake County Speedway, a quarter-mile track the CARS Tour frequents.
The main takeaway from racing at Wake County that Berry plans to carry with him to Los Angeles is: “Corners are tight and things happen fast.”
Yes, indeed.
In general, life has been coming fast at Berry since SHR signed him to replace Kevin Harvick, who retired from the Cup Series at the end of last season.
Later in the year, Berry and crew chief Rodney Childers began the process of building their new relationship and utilized late model racing as common ground.
The pair tackled a few races together during NASCAR’s offseason, including the Fall Brawl at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway where they finished third.
“It gave the two of us a chance to work together in a competitive environment and I think it put to bed any questions we had on how we communicate with each other,” Berry said. “When I left there, I was 100 percent assured and confident in Rodney and what he will do to get the No. 4 team prepared each week.”
Childers and his decade of experience as a crew chief at SHR will certainly be key for the rookie driver this weekend.
Berry plans to lean heavily on Childers, at least until he runs his first laps.
“Once we get there and get a practice session under our belts and feel out how we unload, we can adjust and expand on what we need to make the main event,” Berry said.
Though the Busch Light Clash will be Berry’s first turn at the helm of Harvick’s former ride, it will not be his first Cup Series start.
The 33-year-old competed at 10 Cup Series events last year, as a substitute for injured Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman. His best finish was second at Richmond (Va.) Raceway — a .75-mile, D-shaped oval — last April in the No. 9 Chevrolet.
Berry is hoping the combination of his brief stint in the Cup Series, his comfortability on short tracks and Childers’ knowledge will prove to be lethal on Sunday.
“For the race, it is a good opportunity for us to run well. Obviously, with my background being in short-track racing, I think it should help,” Berry said. “The NextGen car is going to be a challenge, but it should be a lot of fun.”