Wood Brothers Racing’s No. 21 Cup Series driver, Josh Berry, is ready to climb back into a Late Model Stock Car after a year-long break. His lone appearance in the division last season came at Hickory Motor Speedway, where he finished P9. Now he has his sights on reclaiming the Thanksgiving Classic crown for a third time at Southern National Motorsports Park. The event’s 25th running is scheduled for Saturday, November 29, with the 250-lap feature following on Sunday, November 30.
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Coming off a straight 38-race NASCAR Cup Series campaign, Berry has joined forces with Tom Usry Racing to tackle the Thanksgiving Classic once more. He previously won the race in 2021 and 2022, back when he competed in the Truck and Xfinity Series.
In 2021, he ran part-time in both series, and in 2022, he raced full-time in what is now the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for JR Motorsports, the same organization where he spent much of his Late Model career refining his craft.
Berry said, “It’s fun. I’ve obviously had a busy year, and it’s the first opportunity I’ve had to race a Late Model Stock this year, obviously. It’s always fun to come back here and race. I’ve won this race a couple times, had some success here, and it’s a fun one to come race.”
He added, “I really enjoy racing with these guys, Kenneth, and everybody at Tom Usry Racing. They did a great job last year. We went to Florence and had a ton of fun, and wanted to do it again.”
Berry’s history in Late Model Stock Cars dates back to the early part of the last decade. He climbed through the ranks before advancing to the Xfinity Series and eventually landing the opportunity to replace the retiring Kevin Harvick at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024.
When Tony Stewart’s Stewart-Haas Racing team shut its doors, Berry found a new home with the iconic Wood Brothers Racing team. He took their #21 Ford to win during the fifth race of the 2025 season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, scoring his first win in the sport’s top tier.
Reflecting on his Cup Series breakthrough, Berry called it a milestone. Winning at the top level, he said, carries enormous weight as reaching victory lane in NASCAR’s top-tier series takes years of consistency, and achieving it meant everything.
The #21 WBR driver also noted that he logged strong runs throughout the season. With the group staying intact, the team is eager to build on its experience, return with a year already under its belt, and pursue more trips to victory lane in the coming season.
