Josh Berry’s playoff future in the NASCAR Cup Series is on shaky ground after a crash during the opening lap of the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, a blow he’s still working to process. This Josh Berry Darlington wreck analysis reveals how unexpected contact with the track left Berry and his team scrambling, with their playoff hopes now hanging by a thread.
An Unpredictable Crash Mars Berry’s Start at Darlington
On Sunday night, Berry’s race at Darlington took a sharp turn almost immediately, as his car appeared to bottom out several times before coming to grief. Uncertain about the cause, Berry later reviewed the incident but remains puzzled.
“It bottomed out five or six times, so I don’t know,”
—Josh Berry, Driver
“I saw a video of it from the one car while they were fixing it. You can see it throwing up smoke. Not really sure what happened there, if we missed something. You can’t drive these things when they’re hitting the track that hard, especially the first lap when you’re not expecting it.”
—Josh Berry, Driver
The initial wreck knocked Berry’s car out of contention for much of the event. After repairs, he rejoined the race but was only able to return on Lap 121. Ultimately, Berry finished the night 128 laps behind the leaders in 38th place. The result was especially disappointing, as it marked his first run in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, a milestone after qualifying with Wood Brothers Racing.
Playoff Position in Jeopardy as Berry Faces Elimination Threat
Following the difficult outing at Darlington Raceway, Berry now finds himself at the very bottom of the playoff standings—16th out of 16—and sitting 19 points below the cut line. His prospects of advancing to the Round of 12 depend on delivering standout performances at upcoming races in Gateway and Bristol, or clinching a crucial win at either location.
Berry Focused on Rebounding in Upcoming Races
In spite of the setback, Berry remains hopeful about his chances in the Cup Series playoffs, drawing confidence from the struggles of other competitors at Darlington. He underlined the importance of putting the wreck in the past and focusing on future success.
“We just can’t have that happen again. It looked like some guys had some bad nights. We’re still in the game. We just got to have two good races.”
—Josh Berry, Driver
Achievements in a Breakout Season Provide Motivation
This season marks Berry’s second year as a full-time driver in NASCAR’s top series and his first campaign with Wood Brothers Racing. He secured his first career Cup Series victory at Las Vegas in March, locking in his playoff spot. Regular season highlights included five top-10 finishes, with standout performances at Richmond and Daytona.
“Our biggest goal was to definitely make the playoffs and accomplish my first career win, which we were able to do,”
—Josh Berry, Driver
“We want to advance through the Round of 12 and hopefully the Round of 8, and I think those are very possible if we execute and we do the things we know that we can, but I think just more than anything, we just want to be competitive.”
—Josh Berry, Driver
Berry’s determination to move forward is clear, as he looks to overcome the costly early setback at Darlington. The next two races at Gateway and Bristol will now define whether this season will be remembered for a breakthrough or a missed playoff opportunity for Wood Brothers Racing and their driver.
