The lights at Bristol Motor Speedway always promise high-stakes drama, but this time, the heat turned literal for one playoff contender. While Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Toyota dominated the track with a commanding performance, another car was running hot in a way no one expected: the No. 21 Ford of Josh Berry. Smoke began billowing from the right front around Lap 74, forcing an unscheduled pit stop that derailed what had been a solid run. But what started as a mechanical glitch quickly escalated into something far more urgent.

The suspected culprit? A buildup of shredded tire rubber catching on the hot brake rotor, a hazard amplified by the unexpectedly high tire wear that night. This not only ended Berry’s evening in 39th place but also extinguished his playoff hopes, marking his third s

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