After a post-race protest involving NASCAR Cup Series driver Josh Berry and others, Doug Barnes Jr. won the Thanksgiving Classic late model stock race. His spectacular performance paid off, and he passed inspection to keep the trophy.Barnes missed practice and qualifying to attend a wedding. He started last in the 28-car field, but worked his way through the pack in the 250-lap feature at Southern National Motorsports Park. This win at Thanksgiving Classic's silver anniversary adds to Barnes's growing reputation. He races regularly in Late Model Stock Car events and has competed across series like the Ultra Racing Association and the CARS Tour.But it was a rough return for Berry to Late Model Stock Car racing after a full season in the Cup Series. He came in hoping to capture a third Thanksgiving Classic title, but mistakes and bad luck cost him. After the race, Berry's team (Tom Usry) and Marcus Richmond filed a formal protest against Barnes's car.However, Barnes also protested Berry's car, and both teams agreed to tear down both cars for inspection. And in an ironic turn of events, the initial protest ended up hurting Josh Berry. NASCAR journalist Matt Weaver later reported that the Tom Usry Racing No. 17 team were disqualified from their second-place and that Doug Barnes Jr. was cleared in the inspection."Official: Doug Barnes Jr. cleared Thanksgiving Late Model Stock Classic protest inspection and is the winner of the race," Weaver wrote.Meanwhile, Berry dominated the practice session and qualified third for the 25th running of the Thanksgiving Classic."I've had trouble" - Josh Berry on 'embarrassing' mistake on restarts during 250-lap Thanksgiving Classic featureJosh Berry fought hard through the 250-lap race until late in the race. He tangled with another driver, Lee Pulliam, during a restart and spun out, which ended his shot at a third Thanksgiving Classic win.Berry described the clutch slip as "embarrassing" and said the switch from Cup-series and Xfinity-series cars back to a Late Model may have caused a brief mental lapse. Following the race, Matt Weaver asked him about the two restarts that proved costly."I've had trouble from going to Cup cars, Xfinity cars, to coming back here, and I think I just spaced out, made a mental mistake there. Just didn't use the clutch, didn't get it in fourth, I tore up some cars there. That was pretty embarrassing, but after that, it was fine. The restart with Lee, honestly, I don't really know. I haven't seen obviously, but felt like clear down," Josh Berry said (00:50 onwards).The Wood Brothers Racing driver won the Thanksgiving Classic in 2021 and 2022. This year, his team was disqualified after they found a part that was outside the guidelines.