Driver Josh Berry, competing for Wood Brothers Racing, participated in the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on August 16, delivering a performance that marked a turning point for the team amid recent struggles. Berry’s Wood Brothers Racing performance stood out as he secured an eighth-place finish, his best result in 13 races, and earned a spot in the Cup Series playoffs.
Driving the #21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Berry started 17th but steadily advanced through the field to finish in the top 10 for the first time since May’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway, where he had finished sixth. This achievement added to his season record, which includes a notable win in Las Vegas, along with two top-five and four top-10 placements.
Berry Reflects on Team Challenges and Resilience
Following the race, Berry openly discussed the difficulties the Wood Brothers Racing team faced, highlighting a mix of bad luck and performance hurdles as factors in recent results. He acknowledged the day’s ups and downs, emphasizing the team’s fight to manage the race and improve car balance.
“It was an up-and-down day. I thought we did a really good job managing everything, but we would have liked to have been a little bit better. We just struggled with the balance a little bit. It got better the second half for sure, but would have liked to have been a little bit better towards the end, but, all in all, a really good job for these 21 guys.”
—Josh Berry, Driver
“This is what we know we’re capable of, but we’ve had some misfortune. Maybe we had a couple races where we weren’t as fast as we wanted, but we’ve had a lot of bad luck. Tonight is what we’re capable of. We know that going into the playoffs, so it’s nice to have a solid run and, like I said, we’ll go to Daytona and get ready for the playoffs after that.”
—Josh Berry, Driver
Berry emphasized the team’s potential despite setbacks, noting that recent bad luck masked their actual capabilities. His upbeat outlook looking ahead to the playoffs captures the resilience within Wood Brothers Racing as they prepare for the upcoming challenges at Daytona.
Lessons Learned Through Early Season Struggles
Earlier this season, Berry earned his first career win at Las Vegas, an important milestone that underscored his growing skillset and adaptation to the Wood Brothers Racing team. However, he also candidly admitted personal responsibility for some of the missed opportunities during the season, attributing certain mistakes to his inexperience rather than the car’s performance.
With three top-10 finishes in the opening 16 races, Berry acknowledged the steep learning curve he has faced as a newcomer to the team. He provided insight into his approach toward improving consistency and race leadership during a pre-race conference:
“The hardest thing to figure out is how to be fast, lead these races and get yourself in contention and we’ve done that a lot… It’s frustrating to make mistakes, and those mistakes fall on me, but all we can do is just continue to put me in that position, and keep working on those things and getting better and the finishes will come.”
—Josh Berry, Driver
This statement reflects Berry’s determination to grow as a driver, taking ownership of errors while focusing on steady progress to maximize his and the team’s performance.
Upcoming Season Changes and Future Prospects
After announcing his departure from Stewart-Haas Racing, Berry joined Wood Brothers Racing full-time starting in the 2025 season, signaling a fresh chapter in his NASCAR career. This transition offers him an opportunity to build on his past experiences and further develop his competitiveness with Wood Brothers Racing.
Given the improvements shown recently and Berry’s optimistic mindset, expectations are high for both him and the #21 team as they prepare to tackle the playoff season. The recent top-10 finish at Richmond and Berry’s playoff qualification mark an important moment that could become a foundation for continued success going forward.