Josh Berry and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are heading back to the newly-named EchoPark Speedway aiming to recapture the speed and strong performance they showed there in the spring. In the February race, Berry qualified third, led 56 laps, won Stage 1 and was in contention for the victory before a late-race incident ended his night.
“I feel good going back there,” Berry told reporters this week. “I felt like we had a really strong race there in the spring.
“We led laps and won a stage. We were in the battle the whole race, so it’s been fun going back and reviewing that one with my team together and learning and working with my spotter, Jason [Jarrett], and [crew chief] Miles [Stanley] on how to up our communication a little bit better and do a little bit better.
“Honestly, it was a really good race for us, and we found ourselves in position, so I feel if our car is as good as it was in the spring, we’ll have a chance at it.”
That strong showing in just his second points-paying start with the Wood Brothers helped set the tone for what has been a competitive first season with the team, highlighted by a win in Las Vegas just three races later.
“I think it was a really big confidence boost for all of us,” he said. “Obviously, those cars have been fast at Atlanta, but to execute and perform like we did and battle for the win the whole night, it was just a big confidence boost and really was kind of a tale of things to come over the course of the season that we’re going to have speed and have a lot to be excited about.
“Obviously, we didn’t get the finish that we deserved that night, but that’s part of racing…We took a lot of positives from that day, a lot to learn from, a lot to look at going into this week and hopefully we can capitalize and have a good finish.”
Saturday’s race will also mark the start of the all-new In-Season Challenge, a five-race bracket-style competition featuring the top Cup Series drivers and offering a $1 million prize to the overall winner. Berry is matched up against John Hunter Nemechek in the opening round.
“I think all of us will be paying attention to it and who we’re paired up against and how they’re doing,” Berry said. “It should be interesting to follow, for sure.
“Obviously, a drafting style track [EchoPark Speedway] will be a lot about just making it to the finish. That will play a big part of that.
“It will be hard to have a perfect bracket with a place like Atlanta because you never know. An accident can take you out or something like that, but it will be exciting to follow. I have not really overly thought that much about it, but we’ll pay attention to how John Hunter’s race is going compared to ours and hopefully we can come out on top.”
Per NASCAR rules for drafting-style tracks, there will be no practice ahead of Saturday night’s Quaker State 400. Qualifying is set for Friday at 5:05 p.m. ET, airing on truTV.
The 260-lap, 400.4-mile race is scheduled to take the green flag on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, with live TV coverage on TNT. Stage breaks are scheduled for Laps 60 and 160.
About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEXsells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity
DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.
About Wood Brothers Racing
Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 101 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in NASCAR’s premier series with Josh Berry.
