NASCAR: Tanner Berryhill to make Cup Series debut at Phoenix
By Asher Fair
Tanner Berryhill is set to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in Sunday’s Can-Am 500 at ISM Raceway. He is set to drive for Obaika Racing.
Tanner Berryhill is set to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in this Sunday’s race, the Can-Am 500, at ISM Raceway. This race is the third and final race of the third of four rounds, the round of 8, of the 2018 playoffs, and it is the final race before the Championship 4.
The 24-year-old Bixby, Oklahoma native is set to drive for Obaika Racing in this 312-lap race around the four-turn, 1.022-mile (1.645-kilometer) ISM Raceway oval in Avondale, Arizona. He is set to drive the #97 Toyota for the team, and Excel Therapy and VroomBrands are set to be his co-primary sponsors.
Here is what Berryhill said about the opportunity to make his Cup Series debut driving for Obaika Racing in this Sunday’s Can-Am 500, according to an Obaika Racing team press release.
"“I’m so excited to be racing for Obaika Racing again, and to be in the Cup Series is just incredible. I’m so thankful to Victor Obaika (Team Owner) for the chance to race his car, and to Excel Therapy and VroomBrands for the support. I’m so excited to work along with the team this weekend!”"
This news was confirmed earlier this week, but now it is official with Berryhill having qualified for the race, which is significant given his history in the Cup Series.
Berryhill attempted to make his Cup Series debut in the 2015 season behind the wheel of the #66 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet. He attempted to do so in the March race at ISM Raceway (then Phoenix International Raceway). However, the then 21-year-old failed to qualify for this race. He has not attempted to make a start in the Cup Series ever since.
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Berryhill qualified in 36th place for Sunday’s race, so he is officially locked into the field of a Cup Series race for the first time in his career.
While he has never competed in a Cup Series race before, he has competed in NASCAR before. He last competed in the Xfinity Series in the 2014 season when he drove the #17 Vision Racing Dodge on a full-time basis.
Since the 2014 Xfinity Series season, Berryhill has attempted to qualify for the February race at Daytona International Speedway in the 2015 season driving the #17 Vision Racing Toyota and the September race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway roval earlier this season in the #97 Obaika Racing Chevrolet. However, he failed to qualify for both races.
As a result, this Sunday’s Can-Am 500 is set to be Berryhill’s first NASCAR race since he competed in the 2014 Xfinity Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a race in which he finished in 31st place before finishing in 22nd in the championship standings to conclude what was his lone full season in any NASCAR series.
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Tune in to NBC on Sunday, November 11 at 2:30 p.m. ET for the live broadcast of the Can-Am 500 from ISM Raceway to see how Tanner Berryhill will perform in his NASCAR Cup Series debut.