Over the last few years, very few checkered flags have escaped Josh Berry. He’s won so much that he’s worked his way into a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series ride in 2022 for JR Motorsports, the same organization that he’s dominated the Late Model Stock Car world with in recent years.

One race that had escaped him was the Icebreaker at South Carolina’s Florence Motor Speedway. At least, it had escaped him until Saturday afternoon, when he drove off into the February sunset and scored another checkered flag.

After starting near the back-end of the top-10, Berry finally took the lead on a restart with 46 laps remaining from Casey Kelley who had dominated the first half of the 125-lap race. Kelley, a local favorite at Florence, chose the outside on the restart, but Berry was able to clear him for the lead from the bottom by the time they reached turn three.

From there it was smooth sailing for Berry, the Hendersonville, Tennessee native. He drove away from the rest of the field and crossed under the checkered flag more than seven seconds ahead of runner-up Zack Miracle.

“It’s tough at the beginning. It’s so hard to know how fast you have to run,” said Berry on the FloRacing broadcast. “One caution could change everything. We fell back a little bit on the bottom just trying to ride. I was trying to do a better job of staying further in the front.”

One year ago, Berry lost this race to Chad McCumbee on a late restart. Berry started in the top five and dropped back further than he wanted to trying to save his tires, which is a mistake he did not want to make again.

“Last year in this race I got too far back and lost track positon,” Berry said. “I just tried to keep a little better track position and cleaner air, and try to stay up front.”

While it was nearly a relaxing Saturday evening drive for Berry, the battle for second at the end was fierce between Miracle, Kade Brown, Trent Barnes and Brandon Pierce. Miracle prevailed, but his journey to second-place was anything but easy.

VIDEO: Watch Highlights from Saturday's NASCAR Icebreaker at Florence Motor Speedway

Miracle started Saturday’s race from the pole position, led the first lap, and then quickly dropped to fifth by the fifth lap of the event. He eventually was called to pit road during a Lap 24 caution for an apparent fluid leak, and then had to rally through the field.

When the green flag waved on the day’s final restart on Lap 79, Miracle wasn’t even in the top 10. By Lap 100, Miracle was already back up to sixth. He methodically picked off Barnes, then Jeremy McDowell, then Kelley to move into third with 15 laps to go. Miracle made his last move of the day with six laps to go when he got underneath Pierce in turn three to take second.

“We had to fall back to the back early, but I knew there was still about 100 to go,” said Miracle. “I’m disappointed in second, but at the same time it’s still a great feeling to go from last to second.”

Finishing in third behind Miracle was Kade Brown, followed by Trent Barnes and Pierce who rounded out the top five.

Those who missed Saturday’s seventh annual Icebreaker at Florence Motor Speedway can watch a full replay on FloRacing.