Josh Berry’s Journey from Short Tracks to NASCAR Glory
Mar 16, 2025, 07:34 PM ET
LAS VEGAS — In the world of racing, where dreams are often as fleeting as the checkered flag, Josh Berry’s story is one of perseverance and triumph. For years, Berry was a journeyman racer, content with the local short-track scene, never quite expecting to break into the big leagues of NASCAR. But sometimes, all it takes is one believer to change the course of a career. Enter Dale Earnhardt Jr., a Hall of Famer who saw potential in Berry and gave him the break he needed.
Berry seized the opportunity with both hands, winning five Xfinity Series races for JR Motorsports. This success opened the door to the Cup Series, and eventually, a full-time position with Stewart-Haas Racing. However, when SHR decided to close its doors at the end of the past season, Berry found himself a free agent. But as fate would have it, Wood Brothers Racing quickly snapped him up, and in just his fifth race with the team, Berry clinched his first Cup Series victory at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“I’m just thankful to be in the situation I am driving fast race cars,” Berry said, reflecting on his journey. “With my experience on the short tracks, you think that’s where you’re going to win. But if I’ve learned anything in this sport it is that you never know when it’s going to be your day.”
Driving the iconic No. 21, Berry’s win marked the first victory for a Ford team in the five races of the season. The season had kicked off with William Byron’s Daytona 500 victory in a Chevrolet, followed by Christopher Bell’s three consecutive wins in a Toyota.
Berry’s path to victory wasn’t easy. He had to chase down Daniel Suarez after a restart with 19 laps to go. Although Harrison Burton had won at Daytona for the Wood Brothers, Berry’s win was the first non-superspeedway victory for the team since Ryan Blaney’s 2017 win at Pocono.
“This one was legit,” said Jon Wood, team president. “You know sometimes they’ll put an asterisk besides a speedway race and say, ‘Well, it’s speedway racing.’ But [Berry] dominated those last 20 laps.”
The Wood Brothers, celebrating their 75th season in NASCAR, were elated. “Everybody with Wood Brothers Racing gave me a great car, and we just battled and battled, and man, it was our day,” Berry said. “I just can’t believe it. It was such a battle with Daniel there at the end. Beating and banging at a mile-and-a-half [track] is crazy. But whoever was going to get out front was probably going to win.”
This victory was the 101st for the organization, achieved by 20 different drivers over the years. Daniel Suarez, driving a Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, finished second. “Definitely a little disappointed, but congratulations to the 21 team and Josh. They did a great job,” Suarez said. “They’ve been fast lately. They’ve been in contention. So congratulations to them.”
Ryan Preece finished third in a Ford for RFK Racing, with Byron in fourth for Hendrick Motorsports. The top ten was rounded out by Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Alex Bowman, AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott. Notably, seven Chevy drivers finished in the top ten.
Joey Logano had control of the race until Noah Gragson, a Las Vegas native, hit the wall with 25 laps remaining, bringing out the ninth caution. Berry was in second place when the caution was called and was second behind Suarez on the restart.
Berry’s win came in his 53rd Cup race and just his fifth with the Wood Brothers. The 34-year-old Tennessee driver was a 40-1 underdog, and his victory secured the Wood Brothers a spot in the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The team maintains a close alliance with Team Penske, which has a say in who drives the No. 21.
Bell to the Back
Christopher Bell arrived in Las Vegas on a hot streak, having won three consecutive races. He had the chance to become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win four straight Cup races. However, a penalty for changing the throttle body on his No. 20 Toyota after qualifying 13th sent him to the back of the field at the start. Bell struggled throughout the race, finishing 12th, the highest among the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.
“I don’t know. It’s fine. It was a grind, for sure,” Bell said. “I don’t really know how I feel yet, but we certainly didn’t do what we did the last couple of weeks and that was just have a nice clean race.”
Chase Briscoe finished 17th, Ty Gibbs 22nd, and Denny Hamlin, who had a lucky streak at the casino, finished 25th.
Up Next
The Cup Series heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway next Sunday. This track, which had been part of the playoff rotation for the past three years, is now a spring race. Tyler Reddick won there last October, and Bell took the victory in 2023.
Originally Written by: Kelly CrandallTisha ThompsonRyan McGeeAssociated Press
