No one saw this coming. Josh Berry’s weekend at the Southern National Park went from sweet to sour within hours. The NASCAR Cup Series driver had it all under control until Sunday afternoon’s race. From topping the timesheets on Friday’s practice sessions to qualifying third for the 25th Thanksgiving Classic, the 37-year-old was ready to win it.

However, one roadblock stood in his way. Doug Barnes Jr. rose to the occasion and claimed the win at the storied track. And now, as the dust settles on the race, Barnes walks with a trophy in hand, but the fight isn’t over just yet. Berry’s Tom Usry Racing team has pulled out the big guns, and now things have just gotten messy.

Josh Berry’s team files a protest against Doug Barnes Jr.

According to Matt Weaver, the results are unofficial as final inspections are taking place. Doug Barnes Jr. is currently holding the unofficial trophy, but his win is under protest from Tom Usry and Marcus Richmond, who led the 17-car driven by Josh Berry.

Barnes has also fired back with the counterprotest, meaning that both cars are now being torn down for inspection. With results still pending, the official outcome remains up in the air.

Amid all the chaos, the spotlight squarely falls on Josh Berry and Lee Pulliam. Berry’s car is central to the protest, and while the details of the inspection aren’t public, it is clear that the team’s fate could shuffle the unofficial standings.

Meanwhile, his run-in with Lee Pulliam proved costly as well. Towards the end of the 250-lapper, the two tangled, which led to Berry spinning out of contention. The NASCAR Cup Series driver, who was looking to chase his third win, was left in the dust as Doug Barnes Jr., who never locked in an official qualifying lap, started from the rear and slashed his way up.

It was no secret that Josh Berry was looking forward to a clean victory at the 25th Thanksgiving Classic run.

“It’s fun. I’ve obviously had a busy year, and it’s the first opportunity I’ve had to race a Late Model Stock this year, obviously,” the No. 21 driver said before Sunday. “I’ve won this race a couple times, had some success here, and it’s a fun one to come race.”

But with the ongoing investigation, things could change drastically.

And as Weaver has noted, both Barnes and Berry have left the track with the tension lingering. The current Thanksgiving Classic winner has made it clear that he’s keeping the trophy and even plugged his YouTube channel for fans to follow updates, while Berry seems to be steering clear of the drama.

For the rest of the field, Andrew Grady, Tyler Matthews, Mason Bailey, and others, the shuffle behind the scenes could affect the standings right now; it’s all about the fallout from a race that may take days to officially settle.

But amid all this, Josh Berry is definitely left embarrassed after the run-in with Pulliam.

Berry owns up to a costly mistake in the race

The weekend was shaping up perfectly for NASCAR’s Josh Berry until fate intervened. The third-place qualifying spot put the Wood Brothers Racing driver on course for a third Thanksgiving classic victory. But Sunday afternoon had other plans, and he very quickly found himself facing the consequences of a late race misstep.

Berry’s clash with Dale Jr.’s driver, Lee Pulliam, cost him the win. Pulliam, who started at 20th, had carved his way through the field with precision, making the most of every opportunity until a restart ruined it for both.

“I just didn’t use the clutch and just didn’t get it in fourth, and, you know, I tore up some cars there,” Berry admitted. “That was pretty embarrassing, but, you know, after that, it was fine. And, yeah, the restart with Lee, I mean, honestly, I don’t really know. I mean, I haven’t seen it, obviously, but I mean, I felt like I was cleared down and got ran into.”

The 2015 Thanksgiving Classic winner and Berry were serious contenders for the win, but the late race restart in the 250-lap thriller ultimately robbed them of the victory, leaving fans stunned at just how quickly fortunes can change at the Thanksgiving Classic.