Dale Earnhardt Jr. sends thought-provoking praise for Josh Berry after the Las Vegas showdown

Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed his support for Josh Berry in a simple yet modern way after Berry clinched his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave Berry his first major break at JR Motorsports. Berry’s win wasn’t an easy one as he had to fight his way through the field, holding off Daniel Suarez in the final laps. With 16 laps to go, Berry took control and pulled away, earning Wood Brothers Racing their 101st victory.

The NASCAR Hall of Famer posted a GIF on X — a man clapping — with no caption, letting the moment speak for itself. The timing of the post, immediately after Berry's win, made the message clear: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was applauding Berry's hard-fought win.

As for the eventful Pennzoil 400 race, a caution on lap 243, caused by Noah Gragson’s crash, led to a final round of pit stops. Suarez won the battle off pit road, but Berry reclaimed the lead on lap 254 and never looked back, crossing the finish line 1.35 seconds ahead.

Berry’s victory ended Christopher Bell’s three-race win streak. Bell, who received a penalty for an illegal pit stop, finished 12th. Ryan Preece took third, his best finish of the season, while William Byron and Ross Chastain rounded out the top five.

Following his Las Vegas win, Josh Berry now sits 13th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 119 points. He’s 88 points behind the leader. After five races, Berry has one win, two top-fives, and two top-ten finishes. His average start is 15.6, while his average finish sits at 18.6. He’s led 74 laps this season.

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“We use this house” — Dale Earnhardt Jr. offers fans a chance for a personal experience

In a separate announcement, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s foundation launched an exciting raffle for fans. The grand prize? A seven-night stay at the Earnhardt family’s lakehouse on Lake Norman, North Carolina. The package includes a meet-and-greet with Dale Jr., a JR Motorsports tour, race sessions at Trackhouse Motorplex, and $500 in travel expenses.

Announcing the raffle on X, Earnhardt Jr. shared how personal this prize is. He mentioned that the Earnhardt family still gathers at the lakehouse for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“We’re raffling off a seven-day vacation at my Lake Norman family lakehouse,” he said. “This is where me and the Earnhardt family go to have Thanksgiving, Christmas...we have a summer thing we do. We use this house.”

Tickets for the raffle are $10 each, available on the Dale Jr. Foundation website until April 18, with the draw on April 28. Last year’s winner, Paul Cunningham, enjoyed the full experience, meeting Dale Jr. and staying at the family lakehouse.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. may be retired from full-time racing, but he’s not done yet. Earlier this year, he teased new racing plans for 2025, bringing together charity and competition. As sourced via motorcycle sports, his social media post hinted at a collaboration between the Dale Jr. Foundation, iRacing, and his vodka brand, High Rock. The post read,

“Coming to @iRacing. Will share more details soon. Driven to Give 400 Presented by High Rock.”

He’s already confirmed he’ll race in the zMAX CARS Tour, where he’s a co-owner. One confirmed stop is Florence Motor Speedway in August. This series keeps him connected to grassroots racing — something he’s passionate about.

Earnhardt Jr. also continues to support charity through his foundation. Earlier this year, the inaugural Driven to Give 400 on iRacing raised $71,000 for charity. Teams of sim racers, real-world racers, and even iRacing staff competed in a 400-lap virtual race at Iowa Speedway. Dale Jr.’s JR Motorsports team finished 13th, while Hark Motorsports took the win.