Josh Berry’s first NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas sent shockwaves through the garage, and the Tennessee native isn’t letting skeptics ruin the moment. The Wood Brothers Racing driver, fresh off his breakthrough win, dismissed claims of luck, insisting his triumph came from preparation.
Berry’s defiant stance comes as his career bounces back. After a tough 2024 with Stewart-Haas Racing, the 34-year-old has three top-fives in five starts with his new team, quieting doubts about his Cup Series legitimacy.
Josh Berry’s Vegas Victory Silences Doubters With Seasoned Precision
Critics called Berry’s Las Vegas win an “upset,” pointing to Wood Brothers Racing’s nine-year drought on non-drafting tracks. But the numbers tell a different story. Berry took advantage of a late caution, nailed the restart, and held off Daniel Suárez in a door-to-door duel.
“Sunday was considered an upset at least, but not a fluke,” Berry told FOX Sports. “With how we’ve been running. I feel like we can keep getting better and keep pushing forward, and have other opportunities.”
Josh Berry didn’t view his win last week as a fluke and he is prepared to contend again today at Homestead as he starts on the front row. Coverage begins 1:30p ET on FS1. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/tnTrfJEj78
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 23, 2025
Crew chief Miles Stanley admitted surprise at the speed of their success.
“We talked about expectations for the season, but this was not one of the races I had pegged as a winning option for us. I was surprised,” Stanley said.
Berry’s results now show a pattern: fourth at Phoenix, first at Vegas, and a playoff-clinching win. His No. 21 Ford, often overlooked in past seasons, is now a weekly threat.
The win made Berry the first Nashville-area driver to win in the Cup Series since Sterling Marlin in 2002.
“To be mentioned with a guy like a Sterling Marlin or a Darrell Waltrip; those guys were tremendous racecar drivers. To add my name to that list is pretty cool,” he said.
More than 400 congratulatory texts flooded his phone, including messages from peers recognizing Wood Brothers’ historic resurgence.
Berry’s Relentless Path From Late-Model Grind to Cup Glory
Berry’s journey defies the overnight success story. A late-model racing veteran, he dominated the CARS Tour and won the 2020 NASCAR Weekly Series title before Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave him a shot in the Xfinity Series. Five wins there earned him a Cup seat, but 2024 nearly derailed his career.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s collapse left Berry scrambling. Mechanical failures and a hard Daytona flip defined a rookie year with just four top-10 finishes. “There was a lot of uncertainty and it’s just hard to not think that didn’t have some effect in some form or fashion,” Berry recalled.
The gamble paid off. Berry’s Vegas win marked Wood Brothers’ 101st victory and first since 2017.
“More than anything I’m just really proud of the speed that we’ve had,” he said. Even a chaotic run at Homestead, where a pit-road spin dropped him to 17th, hasn’t shaken his confidence.
With short tracks like Martinsville coming up, Berry stays focused. “I don’t feel like this is the last one,” he declared.
For Berry, Vegas wasn’t the finish line — it’s just the start. As NASCAR’s playoff horizon nears, his message is clear: Underdogs bite back.
