How does a driver process the weight of history slipping through his fingers in the blink of an eye? Josh Berry’s car flipped violently down Daytona’s backstretch before he could react. He was in the lead for one minute, and then he stood outside the infield care facility, stunned, watching the broadcast announce the last lap. The No. 21 Ford Mustang, which he would drive starting in 2025, won Wood Brothers Racing’s long-awaited 100th race. This, surprisingly, did a lot for Berry’s confidence heading into 2025.
Berry and one of NASCAR’s most illustrious teams experienced a turning point that night, which went beyond just another superspeedway collision. Berry was overcome with a flurry of emotions because of the craziness at Daytona, the pressure of expectation, and the significance of Wood Brothers Racing’s 100th victory. However, he discovered unexpected closure in the debris, understanding that even difficult times can offer insight into the future.
Josh Berry felt at ease
While taking the lead at Daytona is a moment that defines a career, Josh Berry’s race in July 2023 was a game-changer. The WBR crew celebrated Harrison Burton’s 2024 Daytona triumph, but Berry used it as a time to think about the future. In early July, Berry was announced to make the switch from Stewart-Haas Racing to WBR for 2025, and everyone knew the team had been stuck on 99 wins for over half a decade. At the moment, Berry did not know what to feel as he saw Burton take the checkered flag.
Josh Berry offered his opinions on The Dale Jr. Download after reflecting on the incident. “July Daytona rolls around, and I’m leading the race. Get clipped, and flip over. We know that whole nine yards. And I’m sitting outside the care center and I’m hearing the race on the last lap and I’m watching and the 21 wins and Bob turns around looks at it and comes back and he’s like, ‘What do you think about that?’ And I’m like ‘I don’t know what to think right now. It was a hell of a wreck,” Berry said. The Wood Brothers became only the fourth team to reach 100 victories after Burton’s triumph cemented their position in history.
Berry’s accident served as a sobering reminder of the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing, where violent pack racing frequently results in catastrophic crashes. His experience was reminiscent of other heartaches, such as Carl Edwards’ 2016 title bid or Dale Jr.’s 2017 Daytona 500 wreck. Berry lost his chance to make history, but the wreck also relieved the pressure to deliver the Wood Brothers’ historic victory.
He collected his emotions and looked back. Now, he’s more than happy that Burton got the job done. “Everything happens for a reason and I felt like Harrison deserved that, all those guys loved Harrison and it was almost a weight off my shoulders in a way that I didn’t spend the whole offseason worrying about winning the 100th race. We kind of got to turn the page and start fresh,” Berry added. Had Berry been in that race, a win would have been historic as his first Cup Series victory. However, at the time, he was not driving for Wood Brothers Racing. But he knew his future wasn’t with SHR by then. Burton winning that race made his transition to WBR much smoother, as they got rid of a ‘jinx’ that surrounded the #21 car for so many years.
Wood Brothers Racing had been chasing their 100th victory for years as the longest-running team in NASCAR. Legends like David Pearson and Cale Yarborough contributed to the development of their reputation. Now, in 2025, Josh Berry added his name to that list, securing WBR’s 101st win—his first with the team—at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Resilience has been a defining characteristic of Berry’s career. He has always focused on establishing himself, starting with his early days as a late model driver trained by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and continuing through his ascent in the Xfinity Series and eventual Cup Series prospects. Although it may have been painful to miss the Wood Brothers’ historic 100th victory, Berry views it as just another chapter in his life.
Josh Berry now has the chance to forge his path, one that is determined by what lies ahead rather than by what might have been, as Burton solidifies his place in Wood Brothers’ history. “We are starting at a new 100,” Berry stated.
How NASCAR’s landmark wins shaped drivers and teams
In addition to other significant events in NASCAR history, Hendrick Motorsports reached a long-awaited milestone in 2012. After being locked at 199 wins for seven months, Jimmie Johnson’s victory at Darlington was Hendrick Motorsports’ 200th victory, a milestone that cemented the team’s reputation and reinforced its dominance. Johnson, who hadn’t won at Darlington since a season sweep in 2004, lined up second for the Mother’s Day weekend race and took home the crown.
It further solidified HMS’ reputation as NASCAR’s gold standard. “We’ve been close to getting the 200th win for the last month or two and I’m very happy that we closed the deal today,” Johnson said afterward. “My mind goes back to the early days of Hendrick Motorsports, the people that won those early races, worked on those early cars, helped Rick (Hendrick) build Hendrick Motorsports to what it is today.”
Another feather in HMS’ cap was Kyle Larson’s victory at Charlotte in 2021, earning Hendrick its 269th victory, shattering the record held by Petty Enterprises, and launching their era of domination. The victory was very personal to Larson. He needed to show himself after missing the 2020 season, and the win confirmed his atonement and future with Hendrick Motorsports.
“I wanted to be the guy to do it,” Larson said. “Even if the four (drivers) didn’t mention it, I think we all were putting a lot of pressure on ourselves to be the guy to get Mr. H that record-breaking win. It’s been a heck of a season for all of us and we’ve all been able to win early on in the year. It’s cool to get this record broken and now look to building and winning even more.” The 28-year-old driver won all three stages, led 327 laps of the 400-lap race, and ultimately grabbed the checkered flag to give Rick Hendrick his historic 269th NASCAR Cup Series victory.
Similarly, Wood Brothers Racing’s 100th win is more than simply a figure; it’s proof of their decades of tenacity and lasting influence in NASCAR history. With history on their side and a driver hungry for success, can WBR build on the platform and start their era of dominance once again? Let us know in the comments!
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