![\"Josh](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2233095411-e1756928623316.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty Image\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 31: Josh Berry, driver of the #21 Motorcraft\/Quick Lane Ford, pits during the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on August 31, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Logan Riely\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
The NASCAR playoffs<\/a> are in full swing, but a surprising moment at the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway has ignited a debate over the sport\u2019s fastest lap bonus system. Josh Berry, despite finishing 38th after a crash on the opening lap, managed to post the fastest lap of the race, a turn of events that has raised eyebrows about whether the rule is truly fair.<\/p>\n Berry\u2019s misfortune began almost immediately. On the second turn of the first lap, his car got loose, made contact with Tyler Reddick, and slammed into the outside wall, per Zach Evans of Racing America<\/a>.<\/p>\n Repairs took several laps, but once back on track, Josh Berry clocked an impressive 29.038-second lap around the 1.366-mile oval, faster than anyone else that night. That lap earned him NASCAR\u2019s one-point bonus for the fastest lap, even though he completed just 239 of the 367 scheduled laps.<\/p>\n NASCAR communications director Mike Forde confirmed<\/a> the league will review the fastest-lap rule in the offseason, with potential changes in 2026. Supporters of the rule argue it keeps teams engaged after setbacks, while critics say it unfairly benefits drivers far out of contention.<\/p>\n NASCAR Takes Notice of Josh Berry\u2019s Fastest Lap<\/p>\n During the latest episode of Hauler Talk<\/a>, Mike Forde addressed the controversy surrounding Josh Berry\u2019s fastest lap. He confirmed the sanctioning body is reviewing the rule, but stressed no changes will occur this season.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s some of the conversation in the offseason. Nothing\u2019s going to be changing over the next nine races, but that is something we plan to look at as we move forward into 2026,\u201d Forde said.<\/p>\n NASCAR is carefully weighing both sides of the debate. On one hand, the rule incentivizes teams to return to the track after crashes or mechanical failures, keeping more cars in competition.<\/p>\n On the other hand, detractors argue<\/a> it doesn\u2019t make sense for a driver who\u2019s dozens of laps down, no longer contending for the win, to still collect bonus points.<\/p>\n The Case for Keeping the Rule<\/p>\n Forde highlighted that fans enjoy seeing their favorite drivers fight back after disaster strikes early in a race.<\/p>\n \u201cFans of Kyle Larson came out to watch him, and they want to continue seeing him strive and compete for something when you\u2019re double- or triple-digits laps down,\u201d Forde explained.<\/p>\n From a team perspective, the bonus point is rarely controversial. \u201cI imagine if you ask the teams, they probably are for it,\u201d Forde added. \u201cThey\u2019re competitors, and it gives them something to race for \u2026 no one\u2019s knocking down the doors of the hauler to gripe about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Josh Berry Isn\u2019t Alone: Other Drivers Reaping Fastest-Lap Points<\/p>\n Josh Berry isn\u2019t the only driver to benefit from this rule. According to John Martinez<\/a>,\u00a0 Kyle Larson<\/a> has leveraged it multiple times, collecting four fastest-lap points this season. Twice, he set the fastest lap after extensive repairs, finishing 36th at Mexico City and 39th at Watkins Glen.<\/a><\/p>\n He also secured the bonus at Circuit of the Americas and Kansas. Those points proved pivotal, helping him edge out teammate Chase Elliott in the 2025 regular-season standings and secure an extra playoff point.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tDogli Wilberforce<\/a> Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer covering football, basketball, MMA, and other trending sports stories for outlets including Total Apex Sports, and Last Word on Sports. He has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Hurricanes\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Image DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 31: Josh Berry, driver of the #21 Motorcraft\/Quick Lane Ford, pits…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":130612,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[425,99],"class_list":["post-130611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nascar","tag-nascar","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/130612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}