Josh Berry is today’s rising star in NASCAR. However, he faced multiple setbacks before his monumental rise this year. In a poll conducted by NASCAR drivers and teams in 2024, Berry was voted the “potential biggest disappointment”. This was due to the skepticism surrounding his ability to succeed at the Cup Series level. Despite his proven talent in the Xfinity Series and a strong grassroots racing background, doubts lingered due to his late entry into NASCAR’s top tier and the challenges he faced with Stewart-Haas Racing’s closure. Berry’s journey, however, took a dramatic turn after joining Wood Brothers Racing in 2025, proving doubters wrong with a stunning victory in Las Vegas.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been Josh Berry’s biggest hype man, turning a bank teller into a NASCAR sensation. Spotting Berry’s talent in 2008 via sim racing, Earnhardt Jr. signed him to JR Motorsports in 2010, kick-starting his career with Late Model wins and the 2020 Weekly Series title. Funding Berry’s 2021 Xfinity debut, Earnhardt’s gamble paid off with a Martinsville victory, bringing him to the limelight.
Berry’s three Xfinity wins in 2022 and this weekend at Las Vegas backed by Dale Jr.’s vocal support cemented the hype. Earnhardt Jr.’s mentorship and belief transformed Berry into NASCAR’s feel-good underdog story. However, nobody could have charted this path for Berry, and some NASCAR insiders almost wrote him off before the start of the season!
Is Josh Berry’s win a one-off?
Phoenix was a teaser, starting and finishing fourth, the best the Wood Brothers had ever done there. Then Vegas was the ultimate night for him. He overtook Daniel Suárez with nine laps to go, clinching his first Cup win and locking in a playoff spot for the No. 21 team. It wasn’t luck either, as he ran strong all day. NASCAR even dropped a heartfelt tribute video, saying, “No matter the odds, he never gave up. Josh Berry shows us anything is possible.” But this comprehensive win has still not convinced the pundits yet.
But let’s get real with what the skeptics were saying. Jeff Gluck and Eric Estepp got into an honest conversation. When asked if he expected Berry’s monumental rise this season, Jeff Gluck said, “No way. No, I definitely didn’t [see this coming]… First of all, I was like, You know, Berry comes in, and they give him a full-time Xfinity ride, and it was fine. But he didn’t, like, set the world on fire, like we’ve seen some of these guys do, where they win, like, ten, you know, eight or something like that.” Josh Berry did well in his Xfintiy stint, but not to the likes of current Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chase Briscoe, who won 10 races in 2020, or Reddick who won back-to-back titles in the series.
However, a move to SHR full-time in the Cup under the guidance of 2014 Cup Series winning crew chief Rodney Childers stirred some hope in Estepp, who said, “Rodney Childers in his corner. You felt like that would boost him up.” However, Berry couldn’t notch a win in his rookie season. Jeff Gluck continued, “Yeah, but you’re like, I don’t know, is he going to be that good? Like, did we get a little bit overhyped from Dale Jr. here or something going on, you know?” Junior’s hype had folks second-guessing. However, he vindicated all that belief in 2025, getting BR their 101st trip to victory lane.
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)
“It’s my fault. I didn’t give him what he needed this year. He’s good enough for the cup opportunity. The lack of wins/success this year was not a JBerry issue,” back in 2023, Dale Earnhardt Jr. accepted this on behalf of Josh Berry’s Xfinity slump when the latter posted zero wins. So it isn’t like Junior is suddenly waking up to his former racer’s potential. He knew deep down that it was not his talent but the things that were beyond his control, holding him back from showing his real potential.
Even though his former crew chief Rodney Childers had moved to Spire Motorsports for the 2025 season, he couldn’t hold back his pride and excitement for Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing team. In a post on X, Childers said, “So so happy and proud for @joshberry and happy for the @woodbrothers21 .. I knew it was just a matter of time. They are a great race team!”
That comment says it all that he saw this coming. Childers worked with Berry during his rookie Cup season in 2024 and always believed in his potential. Back when they were together at Stewart-Haas, Childers made it clear he wouldn’t let Berry fail, and even credited him for reigniting his passion to win, saying in July 2024, “It just brought that fire back, and that’s been fun for me.” Even after their paths split, Childers’ faith never wavered. And now Berry has more backers than before once he proved his mettle.
Berry has changed playoff dynamics
Driving for Wood Brothers Racing, Berry grabbed the lead with 16 laps left and didn’t look back, crossing the finish line 1.35 seconds ahead of Daniel Suarez. That win locked him into the playoffs, and now everyone’s talking about him. Denny Hamlin, a guy who knows a thing or two about racing, didn’t hold back on his podcast, Actions Detrimental.
Hamlin said, “I’m not sure any of the other teams budgeted the 21 car and Josh Berry to be in the playoffs taking a spot… But when I say taking a spot, like the way he’s running, he’s not just taking a spot. He’s someone that could go in there and win, get into a couple of rounds deeper than just round of 16, the way he’s running.” That’s a warning shot to the field that Berry’s not here to mess around.
This win changes everything. Five races into 2025, we’ve got three different winners, and Berry’s triumph puts him 13th in the points with 119. It’s a curveball for the playoffs with teams like Joey Logano’s, who’s sitting at eighth with 136 points, didn’t see this coming. Berry’s not a fluke; he’s a threat, and it’s got us pumped.
We can’t help but feel for the guy with years of grinding and doubters everywhere, and now this culmination of all his hard work feels like a victory for the sport. His Las Vegas moment wasn’t just Wood Brothers’ 101st win; it was proof he belongs. NASCAR’s wide open now, and Josh Berry is rewriting the story.
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