“It’s been a long time coming. He’s definitely good enough and talented enough for an opportunity like this.” This was Dale Jr.’s response when Josh Berry made a switch to the Cup Series at Stewart Haas Racing. Berry was discovered by Jr. a decade ago on iRacing and he signed him to JR Motorsports Late Model program. The Tennessee native didn’t have the backing of corporate sponsors or ties to prominent families, all he had was the willingness to work hard and wait for the right opportunity.
After two full seasons in the Xfinity Series at JRM, Josh Berry finally made it to the premier series only to see the team fold at the end of 2024. But, years of hard work and his passion for motor racing weren’t ignored and he was signed by NASCAR’s oldest running team Wood Brothers Racing. Partying ways with Harrison Burton, this move seemed like they took a big bet, but all the speculations and second guesses were put to rest when Berry reigned supreme at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The former JRM driver bagged his first NASCAR Cup Series win, and in the process handed Wood Brothers their 101st victory at the top level. For those who had followed his journey from the short tracks to Xfinity and now to the Cup Series, this win wasn’t a surprise. But, the same cannot be said for Denny Hamlin and others who didn’t expect the No. 21 team to start the 2025 campaign on a high.
Denny Hamlin: From Doubter to Believer
“He’s the real deal.” Denny Hamlin said on his podcast after the weekend’s race, acknowledging the shift in perception towards the Wood Brothers Racing’s driver.
“I mean, was it out of the blue? Yeah, sorta. I mean, he had a strong run last week in Phoenix. He’s the real deal. I mean, somewhere, Kelly Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt, all those that had invested in him and believed in him and gave him the opportunity when he didn’t bring his own money are rejoicing, and as they should, because I was a skeptic of Josh Berry at times,” admitted Hamlin on his podcast when asked if he was surprised of Josh Berry and his win at Las Vegas.
Despite the breakthrough season in the Xfinity Series, Berry only got to run limited races in the Cup Series, which came with Hendrick Motorsports in 2023. At the time he was filling in for Chase Elliott and had the best finish of P2 at Richmond, that wasn’t a surprise, as short-track racing has been his bread and butter. But, his rookie year in the No. 4 SHR Ford was rather stale, with a couple of top 5 results and a streak of top 15 in the spring. And that was as good as he could do with how things were going on at SHR. The start of 2025 wasn’t impressive, as the No. 21 team finished 25 or worse in the first three races. But with traditional ovals back in the mix, Berry delivered a P4 in Phoenix and then rounded it off with a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
However, Denny Hamlin dug deep into Berry’s win and he couldn’t help but highlight Team Penske’s involvement. Wood Brothers Racing isn’t the powerhouse team they were back in the day. With the turn of a new century, the team had only three wins until last year Harrison Burton added a fourth to their program. Ryan Blaney who’s now a Cup Series champ handed them a win back in 2017, so you see Wood Brothers has had its fair share of troubles. But in the last 17 races, the No. 21 car has been a part of victory lane celebrations, which Hamlin believes is due to their links to Team Penske.
MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – APRIL 11: Josh Berry, driver of the #8 Chevrolet Accessories Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Cook Out 250 at Martinsville Speedway on April 11, 2021 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
“The Wood Brothers own the charter, but I don’t know, the employees at the racetrack, they’re all Penske employees. How could they be so far off so many years of the worst Penske cars whoever that is, on any given weekend? And now it looks like it’s one of the boys, just like the 2, and the 12, and the 22, it’s got the speed that they’ve got.” Hamlin added.
At a time when you’ve got drivers like Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Ty Gibbs, Austin Cindric, and Riley Herbst competing at the Cup level, a win by Josh Berry is indeed huge. If anything it serves as a motivation for those willing to put in the hard yards, dedicate them to the craft of stock car racing. And while the big break and the opportunity came with a little delay, Berry made the big leap, with a team that is considered a satellite Penske operation. Even Denny Hamlin embraced this new shift and change in the dynamics of sport with Berry’s triumphant victory in Vegas.
A Reflection of the Past
“It is so refreshing and great to see a self-made cup series driver like Josh to be successful. I watched him just a few years ago winning late model races and to see him win now a cup race just a few years later it’s just it’s very gratifying to see guys from my discipline and how I grew up being successful in the cup series,” Hamlin said on his podcast, his voice full of both pride and nostalgia.
Hamlin, who himself climbed the ladder of NASCAR success, without the backing of a wealthy family or major sponsors, sees himself in Josh Berry. The parallels between the careers of Hamlin and Berry are strikingly similar. Both Hamlin and Berry, developed their racing skills at a young age, competing at short tracks like South Side Speedway and Langley Speedway. In 2003, Hamlin had 25 wins out 36 races in the Late Model and this eventually grabbed the attention of Joe Gibbs Racing who signed him as a development driver.
“It’s like it’s not all about dirt folks like you can come from something other than dirt and be successful,” Hamlin’s emphasis highlights the diversity in NASCAR and its importance. It shows the importance of talent development and the need to support drivers from diverse backgrounds. In Berry’s case he got to work with NASCAR’s prominent racing dynasties. He started with Dale Jr. joining his Xfinity and Late Model program, then shifted to Tony Stewart’s Cup team, and has now landed on his feat at a legacy team, Wood Brothers Racing.
The post “He’s the Real Deal”: Denny Hamlin Lets Go of Years of “Skepticism” on Dale Jr.’s Struggling Star After Vegas Miracle appeared first on EssentiallySports.