3/6/2023
Thomas Berry Jr.
Berry Jr. Banks $10,000 at Rocket Raceway Park
Tom Berry Jr. achieved another career first on Saturday evening. The Iowan piloted his Brodehl Trucking / Team Harris Auto Racing No. 11x Berry Racing Enterprises / Jahnke Heating and Air Conditioning Modified to the $10,000 triumph with the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS).
Berry’s maiden trip to Victory Lane with the tour came at Texas’ Rocket Raceway Park during the 13th annual Summit Spring Nationals after a spirited late-race battle with Terry Phillips.
“Me and (Terry) Phillips are good buddies,” Berry commented in Victory Lane. “We’ve probably burned 1,000 laps together with the crate stuff so I appreciate Terry for not giving it to me, but he didn't dirty me up for the win. I can't thank everyone enough for sticking it out. It's a little chilly out here with the wind and what not, and I'm just grateful to be up here. My dad (Tom Berry Sr.) died about six years ago on Tuesday, so he is definitely looking over me on this one.”
Tom Berry Jr. enjoyed an emphatic start to the 2023 United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) season with a $10,000 victory in the lid-lifter on Saturday night at Rocket Raceway Park (Petty, Texas).
With 87 Modifieds in the pit area Tom struggled in qualifying with the ninth fastest time in his group. However, he charged from ninth-to-second in his heat race to earn the second-starting spot for the feature.
Briefly surrendering the lead on multiple occasions, Tom ultimately took control late and fended off a hard-charging Terry Phillips to register his first-career USMTS win, which was worth $10,000.
He was followed across the finish line by Terry Phillips, Gary Christian, Jason Hughes, and Darron Fuqua.
On Sunday evening his luck wouldn't be as good as preliminary action saw him falling short of qualifying for the feature due to mechanical issues, and he was forced to utilize a provisional to start 25th in the 50-lap feature. Tom was able to advance to an 18th-place finish in the final rundown.
Tom currently leads the Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year points, and is fourth in the overall series standings.
Full weekend results as well as the latest points are available at www.USMTS.com.
The team will be idle this week before returning to action on March 23 – 25 at Humboldt (Kan.) Speedway with the RacinDirt.com King of America XII presented by Shocker Hitch. The USMTS weekend posts a $3,000 winner’s check on Thursday followed by a $5,000 top prize on Friday and a $12,000 winner’s finale on Saturday.
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