Josh Berry, driver for Wood Brothers Racing, reflected on recent challenges as he secured a strong finish at the Cook Out 400 on August 16 at Richmond Raceway. Despite a streak of bad luck over the past events, Berry’s eighth-place finish marked a return to top form just before the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Recapping Berry’s Performance at Richmond and Playoff Qualification
Competing in the #21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Berry made significant progress during the race, moving up from a 17th place start to finish eighth. This result was his first top-10 finish in 13 races since finishing sixth in May at the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. Securing a top-10 at Richmond not only reflected the team’s potential but also clinched Berry’s spot in the upcoming playoffs. So far in this season, Berry has claimed a win at Las Vegas alongside two top-five and four top-10 finishes.
Berry Candidly Addresses Team’s Recent Setbacks
After the race, Berry discussed the mixture of strong performance and setbacks the team has encountered recently. He described the day as “up-and-down,” acknowledging the team’s solid effort while admitting that the car’s balance needed improvement during the first half of the race.
“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, Wood Brothers Racing driver
He emphasized that their current strong showing confirmed the team’s capabilities, despite the misfortunes experienced in previous races. Berry expressed confidence as the team heads into the playoffs, looking forward to building on the Richmond performance.
“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, Wood Brothers Racing driver
Reflecting on Growth and Learning Throughout the Season
Berry’s season has been a journey of development and adjustment since joining Wood Brothers Racing full-time for 2025, after announcing his departure from Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024. Early in the season, Berry captured his first win at Las Vegas, signaling his rising competitive edge.
Despite showing speed and consistency, Berry took responsibility for some missed chances, noting how mistakes have cost him better finishes. He admitted he continues to work on mastering race strategy and leadership on the track during crucial moments.
“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, Wood Brothers Racing driver
Berry’s three top-10 finishes in the first 16 races of the season reflected the learning curve he has navigated while building chemistry with his new team. His reflective approach indicates a focused mindset as they push into the final stretch of the season.
Outlook for the Upcoming Playoffs and Team Prospects
Berry’s recent performance and candid discussions about the setbacks reveal a team committed to overcoming challenges and finding consistency. The Wood Brothers Racing squad, known for resilience and skilled engineering, appears poised to leverage these lessons heading into the playoffs. With Berry’s confidence growing and a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, the team aims to capitalize on their momentum starting with the upcoming race at Daytona.
As the playoffs approach, all eyes will be on Berry and his crew to see if they can translate their evident potential into a sustained championship run, overcoming previous misfortunes that hampered their early-season progress.
