Josh Berry’s hopes for postseason success ended abruptly with his NASCAR Playoff elimination, after three consecutive early exits at the start of the 2025 Cup Series Playoffs. Competing for Wood Brothers Racing, Berry became the first driver removed from championship contention following a sequence of last-place results, all culminating at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Series of Mishaps Begins at Darlington
Berry’s playoff campaign took a downturn immediately at Darlington Raceway during the Southern 500. Despite posting a strong qualifying effort in third position and showing promise with early pace, disaster struck on the first lap. His car was involved in a crash that sent him to the garage for extensive repairs. By the time Berry rejoined the field, he had lost 128 laps, ultimately finishing 38th, deepening his points deficit and setting a grim tone for the Round of 16.
“It’s kind of hard to even really know, but it the car bottomed out five or six times and just wrecked. It was definitely unexpected. We didn’t really fight that too bad in practice. I saw a replay of it when I was sitting in the car while they were fixing it from the 1, and you could tell that it bottomed out four or five times and you can’t save them when they’re like that.”
—Josh Berry, Driver
Gateway Offers Brief Promise, Ends in Disappointment
The following weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Berry showed flashes of potential by running inside the top 15 early in the event. However, a collision with another competitor sent his car hard into the outside wall before the end of Stage 1. The resulting damage was terminal, forcing him out of the race and relegating him to another last-place finish. The string of setbacks made recovery increasingly unlikely.
Mechanical Failure at Bristol Ends Playoff Dream
Bristol Motor Speedway marked Berry’s final opportunity to advance in the playoffs, where he entered the Bass Pro Shops Night Race needing a victory after falling 45 points short of the cutline. Instead, his No. 21 Ford suffered a catastrophic brake rotor failure on Lap 74, leading to a fire in the car. Smoke overwhelmed the cockpit, compelling Berry to pit and exit as safety crews responded quickly to extinguish the flames. This marked his third consecutive “Did Not Finish,” officially sealing his elimination from the title chase.
“Maybe seven or eight laps before we came down pit road we started getting some smoke in the cockpit, and then the longer I went the darker the smoke got and then, obviously, by the time we got on pit road it was completely black smoke. Something obviously caught on fire, so probably once again a car burned up for no reason.”
—Josh Berry, Driver
“I’m sure it’s tire rubber or cords or something that got wrapped around the rotor or brakes. Something caught on fire.”
—Josh Berry, Driver
Aftermath and Season Context
Berry had secured his place in the postseason by capturing a breakthrough win at Las Vegas earlier in the season. Despite moments where competitiveness was evident, unfortunate incidents and repeated equipment failures characterized his playoff run. While debuting in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs was an achievement in itself, the Round of 16 proved to be an insurmountable hurdle as repeated setbacks ended his campaign in disappointment. The heavy toll of three consecutive DNFs ensured Berry, Wood Brothers Racing, and their fans were left to reflect on a postseason defined by adversity and missed opportunity. Looking forward, the team will strive for a stronger and more consistent performance in the next season, hoping to turn these hardships into future motivation.
