The Wood Brothers Racing team, which has been associated with NASCAR for over eight decades, had experienced a period of dormancy until recently. Ryan Blaney in 2018 at Pocono Raceway got their last victory before 2024. However, the team’s fortunes have seen a resurgence with Harrison Burton’s victory at Daytona last year and Josh Berry’s recent win at Las Vegas, marking their 101st win and reigniting their prominence. Dale Earnhardt Jr., reflecting this sentiment, praised the Wood Brothers team for regaining their competitive edge.
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In a discussion with Josh Berry on his podcast, The Dale Jr. Download, Earnhardt Jr. expressed his admiration for having a team like WBR in the sport, remarking:
“I think the one thing that’s so interesting and so very cool about this and probable is the Wood Brothers have been able to survive and be involved in this sport. They are a legendary team a legendary name and we are better when they are good we are we are better as an industry and as a sport when they’re successful.”
Junior conveyed that he experienced similar sentiments last year when Harrison moved them to Victory Lane to give the team their 100th win, securing a spot in the playoffs. Despite the car not performing optimally every week, Dale Jr. was content to see them actively discussed and believed their presence enriched the sport overall.
But after Josh Berry highlighted the off-season efforts of the team, Dale Jr. acknowledged an improvement in the #21 car’s performance this year, which showed in a P4-place finish at Phoenix in the season’s fourth race and a victory in the fifth.
Reflecting on the team’s advancements, Junior remarked, “I kind of have to pinch myself as a race fan just as a general fan not just a Josh Barry fan or a Wood Brothers fan. Like for that car to show up every week and run the way they think it should run and the way that it used to run is I don’t know if you can put a value on that for for the industry and the sport.”
Dale Jr. showed confidence in Josh Berry even before his Cup Series career materialized
Dale Jr. and Berry initially connected through simulation racing, which eventually blossomed into a friendship that steered Berry towards stock car racing. Notably, it was Dale Jr. who provided Berry with an opportunity in the Xfinity Series, where Berry did not disappoint, securing five Xfinity race victories for the team in over three years.
In 2022, when Berry won three races, Dale Jr. took to Twitter to express his confidence in Berry’s potential, stating, “Josh Berry is a cup champion waiting for a cup owner who wants to be a cup champion owner.”
And his predictions appear to be on the verge of realization. Berry’s consistent performance on the track has impressed the NASCAR community, captivating fans and insiders alike with his skills and potential.
