by Crystal Clay
LAS VEGAS--Josh Berry’s journey to Victory Lane wasn’t supposed to happen overnight…or was it?
On a warm Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas, the short-track ace turned full-time Cup Series rookie proved that talent and opportunity can collide in spectacular fashion. Driving the iconic No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing, Berry muscled past the competition late in the NASCAR Pennzoil 400 to claim his first career win, etching his name into NASCAR history.
Few saw it coming. Berry entered the weekend as a 40-1 long shot in the odds books. But in true Vegas fashion, he defied the odds and cashed in big.
“For one, this has been a really good track for me,” Berry said after the race. “I have two Xfinity wins here and some really big moments in my career. This place has been special. It’s been a good racetrack for me, especially in the Xfinity Series. Cup has been a challenge because the cars are different, and I’ve had to adapt.”
With just 19 laps to go, Berry took advantage of a late-race restart, surging past Daniel Suárez to take the lead, never looking back. Holding off a hard-charging field, Berry delivered a near-flawless drive to the checkered flag, securing Wood Brothers Racing’s 101st Cup Series victory.
The win is more than just a milestone for the Hendersonville, Tennessee, native; it’s a defining moment in his climb through the NASCAR ranks. After years of grinding through the short-track scene, a national championship in the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, and Xfinity success, Berry can now officially add “Cup Series winner” to his résumé. His victory also marks Wood Brothers Racing’s first non-superspeedway win since Ryan Blaney’s Pocono triumph in 2017.
“Honestly, the biggest thing I feel right now is just gratitude,” Berry said. “I’m thankful to be in this situation, driving fast race cars. From the start, I felt good about our car. I trusted my instincts in practice on how the race would play out and what we needed. We fought hard all day. We had a mistake on pit road, but the guys rebounded, and we worked our way back to the front.”
That rebound was made possible by a bold strategy call from Crew Chief Miles Stanley, who opted to keep Berry on track instead of pitting with 67 laps to go.
“Yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, I guess you could say we’re in Vegas, so we gambled,” Stanley said with a grin.
Berry turned that gamble into a big payday.
“Strategy played out in our favor, and we found ourselves in the right position,” Berry added. “I was able to battle Joey [Logano] for a while and hold him off for the win. You’d think, with my short-track background, that’s where I’d get my first Cup win, but if I’ve learned anything in this sport, it’s that you never know when your day is going to come. You just have to keep your head down and be ready to capitalize. Miles and this whole 21 team brought a great race car, and we found ourselves in position to win.”
Berry’s win isn’t just a breakthrough moment, it’s a testament to perseverance, instinct, and the right opportunity coming at the right time. In a city built on high stakes, a 40-1 underdog bet on himself and walked away a winner.
Other Weekend Winners at Las Vegas
Josh Berry wasn’t the only driver making headlines at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Corey Heim dominated Friday night’s race, securing his first win of the season. Meanwhile, in the Xfinity Series, Justin Allgaier finally broke through in Vegas, scoring his first career win at the track after years of close calls.
Together, Heim, Allgaier, and Berry capped off an action-packed weekend in Sin City, proving that in NASCAR, timing and a little bit of luck can make all the difference.
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