At long last, someone has finally slammed the brakes on the Christopher Bell runaway train. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver looked like the favorite to go four in a row at Las Vegas. Instead, he ended the race in 12th place, and the man who had the honor of ending his dream run was Josh Berry. The Hendersonville, Tennessee native parked the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford in the victory lane, uncontested during the final stage run at Pennzoil 400.

Of course, when a NASCAR driver wins a race, they usually celebrate with donuts or tire burnouts. However, Berry’s celebrations were a little more reserved and devoid of any smokescreens. Considering that this was his maiden Cup Series win, who would blame him for really going all out? After all, it’s not every day that a NASCAR driver takes his first career win.

However, there was actually a reason behind Berry’s actions, or lack of them. As it turned out, it was Dale Earnhardt Jr. who inspired him, especially after he triumphed at the Daytona 500. That particular win was Dale Jr.’s second career Daytona 500 win and all he did was just drive around the track and wave to fans.

When asked bout the same during the post-race press meeting, Berry said, “Over the course of the off season, I found myself watching the 2014 Daytona 500, when Dale won. He went down to 1, kind of swung around waved at the fans. I think back at nights, Saturday nights short track racing when we would do that type of celebration. You could blow the quarter panels up, could blow the motor, or tear the car up to hell after the race. That’s just what I wanted to do.”

While we have the likes of Ross Chastain’s hail-melon celebration or SVG’s ruby ball kick, Berry wanted to soak in the moment rather than do anything flashy. Alan Kulwicki’s iconic Polish lap from 1988 has been a standard for those who aren’t looking to burn the rubber. Josh Berry worked his way up from starting out as a mechanic at JRM’s Xfinity Series program to then transitioning into a full-time driver. So, that feeling resonated with him when he took the checkered flag at Vegas.

“It’s just kind of who I am, I did a little bit of one at the end there. Just spun a couple of times, but that’s just who I am as a person. I’ve spent my whole life working on building race cars, got my a– chewed for doing a couple of burnouts when I shouldn’t, and tore stuff up. I just wanted to soak in the moment, I think that’s the biggest thing.”

But, even Dale Jr. was somewhat disappointed in Berry after his timid celebration. It started with Mark Martin who appreciated this gesture by the driver of the No. 21 car, “No burnout. He works on race cars and respects the equipment. @joshberry @NASCAR.” In response, Dale Jr. added, “Just a little donut or two, no chip. 😂.”

Well, Berry’s appreciation for Dale Jr. wasn’t restricted to celebrations, he was even open to the idea of racing for him in case JR Motorsports enters the Cup Series.

Josh Berry eyes a potential linkup with Dale Jr.

Let us go back a couple of years. 2022 was the year when Berry finally had a full-time ride in the Xfinity Series. After running the late models at short tracks for JRM, this was his opportunity to shine, and he did just that. Three wins in his rookie season and a 4th place finish in the championship standings, Berry finally had a platform to express his craft and talent.

Although the wins dried up the following year, Tony Stewart and Co. saw enough from him to sign him at SHR. He was paired with Rodney Childers in the No. 4 team, but this joy didn’t last long as SHR decided to fold their Cup Series operations. Fortunately, Berry landed on his feat at Wood Brother’s Racing and all it took was four races for him to register his maiden Cup Series victory.

But, what if Dale Jr. and Josh Berry link up again, this time in the Cup Series? After all, JRM made their debut this year at the Daytona 500 and that left fans wanting more from them. Now, manufacturer alliance is a big deal in NASCAR, one of the reasons why Berry has a seat is because he transitioned from one Ford camp to another. However, that won’t come into play if Berry is presented with an opportunity to join Dale Jr. at JRM.

“I mean honestly, I feel like that door is definitely still open in a way. I mean we talk a lot and honestly, we’ve gotten closer in the last couple of years. I talk to him now more than ever.” The Wood Brothers Racing driver answered when Jose Castilo asked this question last weekend.

It will be interesting to see if JRM is willing to put in the extra resources and make that big leap. With the uncertainty surrounding the charter deal dispute and legal troubles, it’s tough to see JRM make an ownership move right now.