The Josh Berry Bristol fire incident unfolded during the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Night Race, abruptly ending his NASCAR Playoff hopes at Bristol as his car burst into flames before stage one was complete. Berry, who entered the event needing a near-miracle to advance in the postseason, found his campaign over in dramatic and troubling fashion as smoke filled his cockpit and forced him to withdraw.
Berry’s Hopes Dashed by Unexpected Car Fire at Bristol
After earning a crucial victory in Las Vegas, Josh Berry secured his spot in the Playoff Round of 16, but he arrived at Bristol trailing the cutline by 45 points and knowing only a victory would keep his championship ambitions alive. The stakes were high, and for Berry and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team, the Bristol race quickly became a nightmare scenario.
Berry’s bid to advance was cut short in the opening stage. While he battled on the track, the underside of his car suddenly ignited, forcing him to limp the car back to pit road amid a cloud of smoke. Before the incident became widely visible, Berry said he was already aware that something was wrong inside the cockpit.
Maybe seven or eight laps before we come on 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. So yeah, obviously something caught on fire. The car just burned up.
—Josh Berry, Driver
Media reports circulated about Berry’s firesuit starting to smoke as he exited the vehicle, but Berry downplayed these claims in post-race comments. Still, it was clear the smoke had affected him physically, with visible coughing as he took in lungfuls of the thick fumes. Though the flames did not breach the cockpit, the sheer volume of smoke proved overwhelming, leaving Berry shaken and disheartened by his untimely exit.
A Shifting Race Shaped by Tire Issues and Eliminations
With Berry removed from the running as the first playoff driver eliminated in 2025, the Bristol field quickly adjusted to his absence. Tire degradation unexpectedly became a major concern, sending teams and crew chiefs scrambling to adjust their tactics as pre-race strategies lost their effectiveness.
As the laps wore on, the race developed a new rhythm. Christopher Bell secured a dominant victory, completing a sweep for Joe Gibbs Racing in the opening round of the Playoffs. Meanwhile, Shane van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman, and Austin Dillon joined Berry as the drivers knocked out of championship contention by the night’s end.
What’s Next After Bristol’s Unforgettable Night
For Berry, the fire incident transformed a hopeful race into a painful memory, cutting off his playoff journey and leaving a sense of unfinished business as he watched the remainder of the contest. The Bristol episode underscores the unpredictable nature of racing in the NASCAR Playoffs, with aspiring champions like Alexander Bowman and Austin Dillon also seeing their hopes extinguished. As the series heads into the next round, teams will look to lighter moments and tighter strategies, hoping to avoid the kind of dramatic setbacks that befell drivers like Berry at Bristol.
