Josh Berry emerged victorious in a high-stakes showdown against Daniel Suarez in the final 19 laps of Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This marks Berry’s inaugural win in the NASCAR Cup Series, a triumph that unfolded at a track where he had already claimed two victories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
In the aftermath of his win, an ecstatic Berry shared, “I am at a loss for words. This track has a special place in my heart, having given me some of the best moments of my career. This victory was a combined effort of the Wood Brothers Racing team, particularly my crew chief, Miles Stanley, who provided me with an exceptional car.”
Berry’s win also extends the Wood Brothers Racing team’s winning streak, making him the fourth consecutive driver to attain their first Cup win in the No. 21 Ford.
The final laps presented a thrilling face-off between Berry and Suarez, who held a side-by-side restart on lap 249. Berry eventually managed to seize the lead on lap 252, which was further consolidated on lap 254, after a neck-and-neck race with Suarez.
Despite an impressive strategy and a speedy car, Suarez found himself struggling with the short run. He shared his disappointment, saying, “We did everything right. Our car was fast. But I had too much contact with the bumps in the racing surface in Turns 1 and 2, and I feel like that ultimately cost us the race.”
Once ahead, Berry successfully widened the gap, crossing the finish line 1.358 seconds ahead of Suarez. This victory also brought an end to Christopher Bell’s three-race Cup winning streak.
The turning point for Berry came during a seven-car wreck on lap 195, which interrupted a cycle of green-flag pit stops and wrested control of the race from Kyle Larson, the Stage 2 winner.
Berry restarted seventh on lap 201, skillfully navigated the top of the track, and snatched the lead from Suarez on lap 234. However, he soon yielded to Cup champion Joey Logano two laps later. A collision involving Noah Gragson on lap 243 caused the ninth and final caution of the race, taking fuel consumption out of the equation. Suarez regained the lead after a swift four-tire stop, leaving Berry in second place.
Berry’s decisive win also marked the 101st victory for the Wood Brothers Racing team. Ryan Preece took third place, followed by series leader William Byron, who led a group of four Hendrick Motorsports drivers in the top 10. Ross Chastain secured fifth place thanks to a smart tire strategy.
The race was not without its share of mishaps. Both Chase Briscoe and Kyle Busch lost loose wheels onto the track, resulting in a day filled with pit road errors. However, Briscoe managed to recover and finish 17th.
The race, which featured a whopping 32 lead changes among 13 drivers, witnessed Austin Cindric leading the second highest number of laps, followed by Logano, Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, and Berry.
Christopher Bell’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive Cup Series victory was thwarted during pit stops. Bell, who had risen to second in the running order, was penalized for receiving service outside his pit box, which sent him to the back of the field. Despite a promising start, Bell finished in 12th place.
Reflecting on the day, Bell admitted, “We didn’t manage to maintain the momentum from the last few weeks. Our car was capable of winning, but the constant shift from front to back affected the balance. We were in a good position in Stage 2 to contend for another win, but it slipped away.”