During the NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Night Race on Saturday, Josh Berry became the first driver to face a serious problem when his No. 21 Ford began smoking on Lap 76 due to a fire near the right front. The incident highlighted the dangers drivers faced throughout the race amid widespread tire rubber buildup, which caused multiple vehicles to catch fire.
Kevin Harvick responded to the frightening event involving Berry, who had to be forcefully removed from his smoke-filled car on pit road. Harvick commented on the severity and nature of these fires, especially affecting Fords, which seemed particularly susceptible to catching fire during the race.
Harvick Discusses the Causes and Risks of Fires in Ford Cars
Kevin Harvick, speaking on the Happy Hour podcast, described how Ford cars have continued to experience these dangerous fires since his own driving days. He pointed out the combination of heavy rubber buildup and exhaust system factors that make Fords prone to such hazards.
“Well, there’s something that hasn’t changed since I quite driving, the Fords still catch on fire. I think with all the rubber and everything with their exhaust pipes and everything they have going on, it sure seems like the Fords definitely catch on fire a lot easier than the other two manufacturers with whatever they have. But this is a scary deal right here. Josh rode this thing out for a while,”
Harvick said.
He further explained the challenges Berry faced inside the car, as smoke from burning carbon fiber and foam filled the cockpit, obscuring visibility and making it difficult to breathe.
“You can see he can’t see the pit stall and being in that position before, when it starts burning all the carbon fiber and the foam and everything that is right there at the exhaust pipes, it is nasty smoke and it’s very hard to breathe. You can’t see because the inside of the car fills up [with smoke].”
Harvick also noted how the fires persisted on nearly every car’s right front tire area during pit stops, with Fords seemingly catching fire more frequently than their competitors.
“You hope as you keep running that it’s going to go out, but every pit stop I watched, the right front was on fire with just about every car. It seemed like the Fords were the ones that caught on fire more.”
Josh Berry’s 2025 Season and Playoff Struggles End Abruptly
Josh Berry, who races the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing in his first full season, started 2025 strongly with a fourth-place finish at Phoenix Raceway and a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway the following week. However, his momentum faded as his playoff campaign deteriorated quickly.
During the Round of 16, Berry struggled significantly, finishing last in each race. His playoff opener at Darlington Raceway ended in a wreck on the first lap, followed by a spin caused by Chase Elliott at Gateway on Lap 36. The Bristol fire effectively ended his postseason run.
Berry had been anticipating the Bristol race as an opportunity to capitalize on tire wear challenges, but his event ended prematurely before the conclusion of the first stage.
“Man, it’s been a tough couple of weeks, but it hasn’t been because of performance. These guys have been doing a good job,”
Berry acknowledged.
“… Definitely not the way we wanted our first round to go. We felt like we executed well and ran well, just haven’t had the finishes. This is going to be a tough one to watch. That was going to be a lot of fun.”
The Impact of Bristol Night Race Fires on NASCAR and Next Steps
The fires during the Bristol Night Race underline ongoing safety concerns related to the current generation of NASCAR vehicles, specifically the vulnerabilities faced by Ford cars under extreme tire wear conditions. The incidents raise questions about car design, exhaust location, and how teams manage rubber buildup during the race.
Kevin Harvick’s comments shed light on repeated issues that have apparently persisted over years, suggesting the need for increased safety measures to prevent harm to drivers like Josh Berry. Berry’s playoff exit due to the fire not only ended his season prematurely but also highlighted the unacceptable risks when battling for position under extreme conditions.
As teams and NASCAR officials review the events, the hope is to identify technical or procedural solutions to reduce fire hazards, improve in-car visibility during smoke incidents, and protect drivers during high-stakes races like those at Bristol.
