Kevin Harvick on Elliott wrecking Berry has become the focal point after a difficult start for Josh Berry in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, with Berry’s chances suffering a blow due to an early wreck at Darlington and another incident involving Chase Elliott at Gateway. The recent events have placed Berry in a high-pressure, must-win situation heading into the next race at Bristol, as frustrations mount over costly mishaps on the track.
Early Setbacks Shape Josh Berry’s Playoff Challenge
Josh Berry’s playoff campaign could not have started on a worse note, as he crashed during the first lap of the Round of 16 opener at Darlington, immediately putting the No. 21 car behind in playoff points. The string of bad luck continued when Chase Elliott spun Berry on Lap 36 at Gateway, intensifying Berry’s struggle to advance. These consecutive incidents have made the path to the next playoff round increasingly challenging for Berry.
Kevin Harvick analyzed the incident on his podcast, noting that Elliott appeared to be making a risky move in a cramped segment of the track, which led to unintended consequences for Berry.
“It looks like when the 9 [Elliott] goes in, if you judge off the bottom of the racetrack, you see him just get a little wiggle right there going in the corner and he has to use a half of lane. Unfortunately, Josh Berry is right there, so puts the 21 [Berry] in a position… in a must-win situation going into Bristol,”
—Kevin Harvick, NASAR driver and commentator
Harvick further shared his perspective about Berry’s playoff misfortunes, citing the previous week’s issues at Darlington and the challenges faced at Gateway.
Harvick highlighted how complicated restarts and the wide layout of the Gateway racetrack contributed to the situation, emphasizing the aggressive tactics drivers like Elliott and Kyle Larson had to use to gain any advantage.
“It’s a tough place on those restarts with the way that the racetrack is so wide. That’s the thing I loved about the racetrack this week is you had options. You could run the middle, bottom, top and really knowing how bad the cars are behind each other, it gives you an option to be able to move your car around, but the restarts were wild. You got to take everything you can get. I think with the 5 [Kyle Larson] and the 9, you just see them trying to press the issue in really tight spaces to be able to try to gain that position and it just cost somebody else.”
—Kevin Harvick, NASAR driver and commentator
Berry Heads to Bristol Needing a Victory
With consecutive last-place finishes in both playoff races, Berry’s outlook has grown bleaker since his March victory at Las Vegas. Being 45 points below the cutoff, Berry now faces a scenario where only a win in the Round of 16 finale at Bristol will keep his championship hopes alive. The pressure is on, as he must deliver an exceptional performance against tough odds.
The Gateway incident was especially disheartening since the Penske team has a history of performing well there, but Berry had no chance to find out if he could capitalize. Chase Elliott, who caused the incident, acknowledged his mistake and extended a direct apology to Berry and his team after the race.
“First off just want to apologize to Josh and the 21 team,”
—Chase Elliott, NASCAR driver
Elliott reiterated his regret for the outcome and shared the remorse he felt once it happened, underlining that there was no intention to make contact with Berry.
“Known Josh for a long time, too, so just want to make sure those guys know that I feel terrible about that. Felt terrible about it right when it happened and wish I could take it back. Yeah, unfortunately that transpired.”
—Chase Elliott, NASCAR driver
Playoff Fallout and the Road Ahead
The sequence of incidents has intensified the pressure on both Berry and the No. 21 team as the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs move to Bristol. Harvick’s commentary has underlined how aggressive racing and the tight confines of modern tracks can turn a championship bid on its head, especially for drivers already facing long odds. As the finale of the Round of 16 at Bristol approaches, Berry and his team must navigate the aftermath of recent misfortunes and focus on the singular objective: victory.
With the focus sharply on how Kevin Harvick on Elliott wrecking Berry has affected the playoff race, the outcome at Bristol will decide whether Berry can overcome his setbacks or if this sequence marks the end of his inaugural playoff run. The coming weekend not only tests Berry’s resilience but also highlights the unpredictable nature of NASCAR’s playoff battles.
