The 2025 racing season has been a turbulent ride for Josh Berry. Despite his undeniable talent and impressive speed, he’s been dogged by a streak of bad luck. After securing a much-sought-after position with Wood Brothers Racing, following the closure of Stewart-Haas Racing, Berry was eager to leave his mark with the legendary No. 21 car. However, his season started on a sour note, with a disastrous multi-car crash on Lap 63 of the Daytona 500, which left him trailing at 37th place.
The Atlanta Motor Speedway, with its promise of redemption, seemed to be the perfect setting for Berry to turn his fortunes around. And for a while, it seemed like he would. Berry led 56 laps in a stunning display of skill, cementing his place at the front of the pack. But in a cruel stroke of fate, another late-race crash dashed his hopes of a well-deserved win. He finished 25th, a disappointing end that belied his robust performance.
Despite the heartbreak, Berry demonstrated his potential at Atlanta, leading 56 laps and winning the opening stage with assistance from drafting maestro, Austin Cindric. However, a chaotic last lap saw Berry caught in a frantic skirmish between Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain, an unfortunate encounter that resulted in Berry crashing into a wall. “Obviously, didn’t get the finish we deserved,” he admitted, voicing his frustration at the P25 finish.
Throughout the race, Berry’s No. 21 Ford was a force to be reckoned with. He dominated the final stage, leading both lanes and positioning himself for a top finish. But as the race neared its climax, aggressive moves from competitors disrupted his rhythm. “It was just crazy… it’s aggressive-moves racing there at the end,” Berry said, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing.
The turning point came when Berry was pushed back into the pack during the final lap. “The 77 threw the one out of line, and I kind of pushed him through the middle,” he recalled. While he conceded that he needed to review the footage to understand what went wrong, Berry remained focused on learning from the incident, proving that he has the necessary speed and skill to compete at the front.
When asked to delve deeper into the incident, Berry admitted his uncertainty about the cause of the crash. He acknowledged the tight racing during the final moments, stating, “I don’t know if Ross came up a little bit or what I could have done better in that situation. Just part of it, I guess.” The unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing often leaves little room for second-guessing and on this occasion, Berry found himself on the losing end of the last-lap shuffle.
As he looks ahead, Berry’s focus now shifts to the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The road course hasn’t been kind to him in the past. Last year, he finished 35th while driving for Stewart-Haas Racing. However, with a fresh start at Wood Brothers Racing, he hopes to rewrite his story. The new National layout introduced this year, shortening the track to 2.356 miles, could work in his favor. A strong performance at COTA could help soothe the sting of Atlanta and provide Berry with a much-needed boost in the standings as he continues to establish himself with his new team.
Berry’s performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway has certainly caught the attention of fans. Many lauded his aggressive racing style and his ability to maintain a leading position for most of the event. His tenacity was on full display during the Cook Out Clash weekend at the Bowman Gray stadium, where he managed to secure the last transfer spot for the main event against all odds. Berry’s improvement on drafting tracks has also been noteworthy, with fans pointing out his strong performance at the Coke Zero 400 last year.
Despite the disappointment of Atlanta, many fans saw the potential for a truly special moment. “Josh winning in the 21 today would have been a ‘Field of Dreams’ result,” one fan lamented. Others echoed the sentiment, expressing their anticipation for what promises to be a great year for Berry. While the Atlanta race didn’t have the fairytale ending fans had hoped for, Berry’s performance left little doubt that he’ll be a force to reckon with in upcoming races.
