Dale Jr. Backed Late Model Star Lashes Out at Josh Berry, Claims He Lost “His Mind” Amidst Heated Hickory Drama

The short-track race at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina had it all. The CARS Tour racing circuit event featured a wild altercation after a controversial finish, along with many on-track incidents, particularly between Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen and Josh Berry.

This happened when Queen, who recently won Virginia’s Late Model Triple Crown race, was hoping to make it five CARS Tour victories at Throwback 276. However, the drama-filled race at the ‘world’s most famous short track’ was followed by a fiery post-race interview from Brenden Queen, who spoke with Frontstretch’s Chase Folsom about his on-track altercations with Cup Series star Josh Berry.

Tempers flare between Josh Berry and Brenden Queen

With NASCAR currently in an Olympic break, Truck Series driver Brenden Queen is racing anything and everything that he can get his hands on. Having begun racing at the tender age of 6, Queen was mentored by seven-time Langley champion Phil Warren, which is why it should come as no surprise that he has won on the track three consecutive times. The 26-year-old went head-to-head with Cup Series star Josh Berry for Kevin Harvick Inc. at Hickory Motor Speedway in the zMAX CARS Tour, finishing in the top five after making a sensational comeback.

Brenden Queen revealed to Fronstretch’s Chase Folsom how things unfolded as the No. 28 of Connor Zilisch and Brenden raced for the top spots. He emphasized the No. 62 of Josh Berry kept tailing him and also hit his right front as Brenden was exiting the pit road.

Queen said, “I don’t know what that was about. I don’t know if that was an accident or intentional. It is what it is. You know, I got into the back of him because I guess his stuff was given up maybe. I don’t know. I didn’t mean to get in the back of him, we were stacked all up on the bottom, the top was pinching us and rolling and I got in the back of him and I had a guy right on my tail. I think the 29, it was right there if I slipped up. Like I said I didn’t mean to do it, and then he just lost his mind and brake-checked me and knocked the whole nose up.”

Amidst the drama at Hickory Motor Speedway, the clashes began with the No. 62 of Josh Berry after the No. 3 of Brenden Queen was forced to start behind the Cup Series driver after the restart. Tension was running high between the pair due to an earlier incident in the pit road when Berry hit the right front of Queen’s car while he was exiting the pits, and further fuel was added to the fire when Queen got into the back of Josh Berry’s #62.

Absolving himself of all blame, Brenden Queen blamed Berry for damaging the front of his car with a sudden brake, which caused further damage to not just Queen’s car, but his race hopes as well.

Despite a poor start to the race, Brenden Queen finished in the top five, a result he will be satisfied with, especially considering his poor start to the race. The zMAX CARS Tour heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway, a track one Queen is very familiar with, having won on the short oval racetrack last year. With two top-five results, Queen is hoping to defend his title this time around and hope to avoid some drama. Looking at how the race at Hickory Motor Speedway ended and the subsequent physical altercation, the possibility of a clean race looks unlikely.

Hickory Motor Speedway devolves into mayhem

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To say that the zMAX CARS Tour race at Hickory Motor Speedway was full of drama would be an understatement. At the end of the race, Ryan Millington was seen crossing the finish line, but he spun Connor Hall in Turn 4 just before crossing the checkered flag. As a result, Mulltongton had his race win taken away from him, and the victory was given to Ronnie Bassett Jr. instead.

While the decision was controversial, it was also consistent with another incident last summer when Gavan Boschele’s win was taken away after he spun Ashton Higgins in the final corner at the Pro Late Model division race at Tri-County last year. After Bassett Jr. was announced race winner, a massive brawl broke out at Hickory Motor Speedway as Landon Huffman, who made contact with Andrew Grady and ended his race, got involved in the dust-up.

The brawl wasn’t limited to just the drivers, but their crews as well, and it had to be broken up by officials and other racing team members. CARS Tour founder Jack McNelly was seen shouting at Andrew Grady during the incident. While there will be repercussions for all involved, and multiple suspensions should be expected in the coming days, it doesn’t take away from the fact that it was an entertaining race in North Carolina.

Do you think Josh Berry was at fault for the incident involving Brenden Queen? Let us know in the comments!