Josh Berry had a difficult journey. He aspired to be the next Bubba Pollard and spent years working hard on short tracks. He believed he would remain there indefinitely five years ago, working on his own vehicle and chasing victories with his friends. He was then given an Xfinity opportunity by Junior Motorsports. Suddenly, he’s in a Cup car with Stewart-Haas and then Wood Brothers Racing after winning once and then again. “My story has a lot of documentation,” Berry stated. “There is nothing about how I got here that I would change.” He was shaped by those dusty tracks and late evenings. They brought him to this, but he misses them. At the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Josh Berry’s triumph was more than just a win.
It’s an appeal from the world of short-track racing, which influenced him and countless others. Berry, 34, won the NASCAR Cup Series, making him the first Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I champion to do so. This demonstrates that, in a sport that is frequently dominated by large teams and youthful sensations, grassroots still has a pulse. This was a story that had been developing for years, not simply a race.
The new short-track prophet is Josh Berry
And it was a last-minute, thrown-in-the-car (procedure),” stated Josh Berry. I wasn’t prepared. And they had faith in me, even as I reflected on that day.
And I was given an additional week, correct? After that, we made it into the top ten. Simply put, it’s incredible what has to occur to reach this stage. Under the leadership of crew chief Miles Stanley, the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 car is no longer a sidekick team. Stanley’s quiet, steady, and laser-focused approach is what makes him so brilliant. Since joining the company in 2018, he has progressed from engineer to strategist, and now he is leading Berry. “The Wood Brothers, the 21 car, are no longer a satellite team,” NASCAR insider Mamba Smith continued. This isn’t a However, we’re keeping them here in the field because their goal is to compete and win races, like they did this past weekend.
All year long, they had been engaged in intense competition. While you’re watching it, you realize that it’s Bowman Gray. It’s like, “Well, it’s a superspeedway,” after that. Then you arrive at a road course, where he lacks the funds to work on it. He didn’t work on that, yes. But when he returns to Vegas, where you anticipate the Team Penske cars to be quick, he completed the task with the same speed as his teammates. I believe that when you look at it, he is one of the people who keeps short-track racing alive. Berry’s victory gives everyone who dreams of racing the short track hope.
Berry has ran 14 short track races, average 17.1, finishing sixth at Richmond, and now winning in Vegas, his first in 54 Cup starts. His statistics support this claim. He has previously come close, finishing third at Darlington and fifth at Loudon. He can no longer be classified as a “mid-packer.” Berry said, “I’ve been competitive everywhere.” This victory was evidence, not luck. Harvick shared it on X after seeing it as well. “This demonstrates that perseverance and hard work can still lead to the Cup Series.” Berry is the person who worked his way up; he is not a child who was given a silver spoon. Even when the wins didn’t materialize, he learnt from the winners at Hendrick and Stewart-Haas. “He was around winning organizations or winning people,” Smith continued.
That grit, that hustle, it’s why Vegas seemed so large. Wood Brothers Racing’s current team president, Jon Wood, stated, “He ran competitively and finished well in two of the three racetracks, having never driven in a Next Gen car. He drove in two or three different styles (of) race tracks.” “After that, I was sold. Additionally, I knew no one named Josh. Like, I hadn’t been following him, but I knew who he was. I also didn’t want him to succeed. Like, I was like, ‘Well, this isn’t supposed to be that easy. You shouldn’t just climb in one of these things and try to outrun us.
I think this guy is quite good. However, I never realized that there would be a chance (to sign him). Berry’s victory belongs to all the racers who put in a lot of effort on a Saturday night oval, not just himself. In him, short tracks are alive, not dead. He is genuine, not ostentatious. And for that reason, this is important. The spirit of NASCAR continues to beat, and Berry is keeping it alive.
The elder boys find hope in Berry’s Vegas win
In the 267-lap South Point 400, which included 32 lead changes and 11 cautions, Berry began seventh.
With nine circuits remaining, he passed Daniel Suarez for the lead and secured a 2025 Wood Brothers Racing playoff berth. “I’m hoping this isn’t just a one-off,” said Miles Stanley, his crew chief, who joined the squad from squad Penske in 2018 and took over as crew chief in late 2024. Josh is talented enough to continue winning. We’re creating something unique here, and he’s proven he can compete at this level. At 34, Berry won his 53rd Cup start. In contrast, Joey Logano won at 18 in Loudon in 2008, Chase Elliott won at 22 in Watkins Glen in 2018, and Ty Gibbs won at 22 in Phoenix in 2024. Older drivers like Mark Martin, who won at Phoenix in 2009 at the age of 50, and Harry Gant at at 52 in Michigan in 1992.
With 36 full-time entries in 2025, the average Cup driver age was 31.9, thus Berry’s victory proves you don’t need to be young. Denny Hamlin suddenly altered his opinion, saying, “Josh has earned it, but I didn’t see it coming.” He is now a celebrity. It’s exciting to watch him race Suarez side by side while exchanging paint. He deserved that victory because he didn’t give up. Suarez was 1.3 seconds behind Berry at the finish. With 43 Cup victories, Hamlin continued, “He demonstrated that he has what it takes.” I’m glad he received this. Berry is not a quick learner; rather, he is the one who persisted. He continued to push, from short tracks to Vegas. Anyone who has been told they are too old or too sluggish to start now has hope thanks to this victory. It’s really lyrical to consider his years and the people he proved wrong. NASCAR’s got new energy, and Berry’s the one driving it.
