Josh Berry made a significant mark on the 2025 NASCAR season, achieving his first-ever Cup win and bringing new energy to the Wood Brothers Racing team. After a challenging start and a change in teams, Berry’s perseverance paid off as he delivered strong results and steadily climbed the standings, making the focus keyword Josh Berry 2025 NASCAR season a highlight for fans and analysts alike.
A Season of Change and Comeback
The 2025 campaign represented a turning point for Berry, who parted ways with Stewart-Haas Racing after the historic team disbanded in 2024. Moving to the legendary Wood Brothers Racing squad, he faced initial difficulties, struggling in his first three outings of the year. However, Berry found his rhythm at the spring Phoenix race, securing a fourth-place finish that set the tone for his season ahead.
Just a week after his Phoenix performance, Berry captured his inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 16. Starting seventh on the grid, he kept himself within the top ten throughout the race, eventually overtaking Daniel Suárez with just 16 laps remaining. He held off the competition, completing the event 1.358 seconds ahead of Suárez, which many regarded as a surprise early in the season.
Consistent Performance and Notable Results
Berry’s Cup Series season showcased both his speed and his ability to adapt to new surroundings. He finished the year with one win, three top-five finishes, eight top-ten results, and led 207 laps. His progress was particularly noticeable when compared to the previous year, improving eleven spots in the final points standings to finish 16th.
Other strong performances included a runner-up finish at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway playoff race, missing the win by less than a second to Ryan Blaney. Berry continued displaying his racing strength at Phoenix, where, in his five Cup starts, he accumulated one top five and three top-ten finishes. In addition to his race results, Berry improved his qualifying efforts, moving up from nine top-ten starts in 2024 to thirteen in 2025.
Challenges Faced Along the Way
Despite the successes, the 2025 season was not without its setbacks. Berry’s track record was impacted significantly by DNFs, with a total of nine in 2025, adding to the ten incurred during his previous season with Stewart-Haas Racing. Out of these nineteen DNFs across two years, sixteen resulted from crashes, highlighting an area of ongoing improvement for both Berry and the No. 21 team at Wood Brothers Racing.
Berry Reflects on His Year
Berry expressed both excitement and optimism when looking back on his first campaign with his new team, sharing his thoughts on the year’s achievements and areas for growth:
“It’s been a really good first season with the Wood Brothers. Getting the win earlier in the year was a lot of excitement, but we’ve had a lot of good runs over the course of the year, a lot to learn from and look at, and I think we have a lot of room to improve and get a little more consistent. … I feel like we’ve shown a lot of potential (and) a lot of speed at times. (We) just need to clean things up.”
— Berry said, looking back at his first season with the legendary organization.
Looking Forward to 2026
As 2026 approaches, no significant changes are on the horizon for Berry and the No. 21 team. The focus will be on reducing the number of crashes and building on the consistent performances seen, especially at short- and mid-length tracks such as Martinsville Speedway, Phoenix, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. A repeat playoff appearance is within reach if Berry continues to improve in these areas, and another win would strongly boost those postseason chances. Fans and observers will be eager to see whether Berry’s breakout year will become a launching pad for future Cup Series successes in the seasons ahead.
