For several years, Josh Berry had a reputation of being one of the most underrated drivers in NASCAR. He had great talent but was deserving of so much more success.
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Berry had a stellar run with JR Motorsports over nearly a decade of racing, including earning a combined 100 wins – five in the Xfinity Series and 95 in late model racing.
If JRM had a Cup program, that would have been the best place for Berry to be, but that never materialized. He had more than earned a promotion to NASCAR Cup, but opportunities to move up were scarce. It was a mystery why that was, particularly given Berry’s immense talent.
Berry finally got his big break last year when he got his first full-time Cup ride with Stewart-Haas Racing. Unfortunately, success never arrived at a place that had become a rudderless and sinking ship, ultimately leading to SHR closing its doors. Berry’s only season with the team saw him earn zero wins, two top-fives, four top-10s and a final season finish of 27th in the standings.
“I think in a way I left the situation last year kind of questioning if I could race at this level,” he recently admitted.
But Berry has been rejuvenated with his new Cup address, namely, the legendary Wood Brothers Racing. He finally earned his first career Cup win earlier this year at Las Vegas, giving him an automatic berth in the 2025 NASCAR Cup playoffs.
Heading into Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway, Berry has also led 169 laps, the third-most of any WBR driver in the last 42 years – and there are still 25 races remaining to add to that total. Only Ryan Blaney (301 laps in 2017) and Buddy Baker (174 laps in 1983) have led more laps in a single season for WBR during that four decade plus stretch than Berry.
“It’s been really exciting, honestly,” Berry said of the success he’s enjoyed thus far. “It’s just built up everybody’s confidence and we’re having a lot of fun.
“For me, it’s interesting because after you win a race people are like, ‘Oh, do you have pressure off of you now that you’ve won a race and do you feel that much different?’ If anything, I feel more motivated and more excited waking up every day.”
Inconsistency remains a significant issue for Berry
But there’s also a downside that Berry still needs significant improvement on: consistency. Other than his one win, he has just one other top-five finish and no other top-10s in those first 11 races.
Even worse, he’s finished 25th or worse in seven of those 11 races, including three DNFs due to crashes. And even with the lone win, he still sits a dismal 24th in the Cup standings, the lowest ranking of any driver who has won at least one race thus far this season.
So while Berry has had some high points, he definitely needs significantly improved consistency if he is to take WBR an appreciable distance, both in the remaining 15 regular season races, as well as the 10 playoff races.
He’s hoping to begin that upgrade in consistency this weekend behind the wheel of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse.
Berry readily admits he’s happy about the win and the laps he’s led, but he’s also frustrated at the lack of consistency.
“Obviously, we’ve definitely left some points on the table, but the biggest thing is just how you’re running,” Berry said. “We’ve been qualifying pretty well and racing well, leading laps. Each race that the finish got away from us is for different reasons, I feel like.
“We’re fast and we’re competitive and just have to keep working on the execution side of things and learning. But I feel like we’re in a really good spot.”
While the three DNFs are a bitter pill to swallow, it’s also part of a learning process to go along with the success he’s had.
“I think at times I could be a little bit more patient, I guess,” he conceded. “I think the biggest thing is… maybe not being so focused on just being fast and being competitive, considering that we’ve been doing that.”
It helps to have a bunch of big brothers to lean on
Operating on a satellite team to Team Penske, Berry is surrounded by great talent including Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, who have combined to win the last three Cup championships.
“There’s a lot of structure here, which I think works really well for me,” Berry said. “It’s not anything that I mind, and I feel like I’ve just gotten in a good routine of preparing each and every week.
“The biggest thing too is having teammates like Joey and Ryan and Austin (Cindric) to talk to that run as well as they do. You’ve got championships and lots of wins that just elevate it. Being in this environment has helped me grow a lot. I feel better prepared going to the races.
“All in all, everybody has done such a good job and the cars have been really fast and I’ve learned a tremendous amount here in a couple months of being in this environment. That makes me excited for the second half of the year, for sure.”
