Josh Berry Sums Up “Embarrassing” Thanksgiving Classic Outing During NASCAR Offseason

Neha Dwivedi | 01/12/2025
Nov 2, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Josh Berry (21) during the NASCAR Championship race at Phoenix Raceway.

While most NASCAR drivers are taking advantage of the offseason to unplug and spend time with their families, Josh Berry jumped straight back behind the wheel of a Late Model Stock Car in an effort to chase his third Thanksgiving Classic crown at Southern National Motorsports Park. He came out of the gate with plenty of fire, but the momentum didn’t last. A pair of untimely missteps ultimately left him settling for P2 behind winner Doug Barnes Jr.

Berry competed in the event with Tom Usry Racing and later broke down the key moments that cost him the win. He addressed the late-race spin that came after contact from Lee Pulliam on a restart. He said it felt “clear down” at the time, though he admitted he would need a replay to know exactly what happened.

Berry also owned up to a mental lapse during an earlier restart, one that stemmed from bouncing between Cup cars, Xfinity machinery, and then dropping back into a Late Model. The mistake came when Berry missed the clutch shift from second to third gear.

Reflecting on the two costly restarts, a missed shift on one and the spin on the other, the Wood Brothers Racing driver said, “The first one, honestly, I think I didn’t use the clutch. I’ve had trouble from going to Cup cars, Xfinity cars, to coming back here, and I think I just spaced out, made a mental mistake there.”

“Just didn’t use the clutch, didn’t get it in fourth, I tore up some cars there. That was pretty embarrassing, but after that, it was fine. The restart with Lee, honestly, I don’t really know. I haven’t seen obviously, but felt like clear down.”

Berry said climbing back from the spin was the turning point. Losing that much track position could have buried his night, but his team rallied, and he continued making passes. Once he reached second behind Barnes, though, he admitted he was “tapped out,” noting that Barnes had a strong piece and controlled the end of the race.

Even with the track position he surrendered, Berry praised his JR Motorsports group for digging their heels in and clawing back. The car had speed, and the team executed well enough to turn what could have been a disastrous night into a run that still put him within striking distance.

Berry viewed the $50,000-to-win Thanksgiving Classic as a stimulating return to his short-track roots before he shifts focus to the next Cup season.

With the Thanksgiving Classic in the books, Berry has no more offseason races lined up. Fans will next see him when he rolls into the unofficial season opener, The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, ready to swap Late Model engines for Cup Series once again.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Bowman Gray Stadium Josh Berry NASCAR Cup Series Wood Brothers Racing

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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