Josh Berry Bio
Joshua William Berry (born October 22, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Wood Brothers Racing. Berry is noted for getting his start as a standout in Late Model Stock Cars with JR Motorsports from 2010 to 2023, where he became the all-time winningest driver in CARS Tour history.
Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing around 165 pounds, Berry is widely respected for his late model pedigree and his smooth transition to NASCAR’s national divisions. He has built a reputation as a disciplined short-track racer who excels on ovals and a driver who has steadily climbed the ladder through steady results rather than flash.
Early Life and Background
Berry was born in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and grew up near the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, the legendary short track that helped shape his love for stock car racing. As a young fan of the sport, he spent his childhood weekends at local tracks, watching Late Model races and dreaming of one day competing at the same level.
He attended the same high school as pop star Taylor Swift and was a former 7th and 8th grade classmate of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden, giving him strong Tennessee racing ties. Berry later graduated from Volunteer State Community College while balancing early racing ambitions with part-time work.
To help fund his early racing, Berry worked as a bank teller before his career generated a steady racing income. The combination of school, work, and weekly track time built the work ethic that has defined his professional approach. He began racing Legend Cars at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, learning race craft on tight, contact-heavy short tracks.
Path to NASCAR
In 2008, Berry connected with future car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. through an online sim racing league called DMP Online Racing. The relationship proved pivotal, as Earnhardt Jr. signed Berry to JR Motorsports in 2010 to compete in Late Model racing. That partnership launched a long and successful run on the short-track scene.
Berry won the 2017 CARS Late Model Stock Tour championship and the 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national championship, capturing 24 weekly wins that season. He added signature victories at the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, the Hampton Heat 200, and the Thanksgiving All-Star Classic 150, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s top Late Model talents.
His first NASCAR national-series start came in 2014 at Iowa Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. He balanced part-time Xfinity and Truck Series runs with full-time Late Model racing for several years before earning a full Xfinity ride in 2022.
Josh Berry Career
Early Career (2014-2020)
Berry’s first NASCAR Xfinity Series race came at Iowa Speedway in 2014, where he started tenth and finished twelfth in the No. 5 for JR Motorsports. He added select starts in 2015 and 2016, including a seventh-place run at Richmond and a thirteenth-place playoff finish at Kentucky, while making his Truck Series debut in 2016 at Chicagoland Speedway.
He split time between JR Motorsports’ No. 88 and a one-off ride with Obaika Racing at Darlington, gaining experience across multiple teams. Berry also debuted in the ARCA Menards Series in 2018 at Salem Speedway and made his first ARCA East start in 2019 at New Hampshire, gradually building a versatile short-track resume.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2021-2023)
On October 22, 2020, JR Motorsports announced that Berry would run 12 Xfinity races in 2021. He delivered instantly, winning at Martinsville in the fall of 2021 by passing Ty Gibbs for the lead with 28 laps remaining. That victory made him the fifth driver to win his maiden Xfinity race at Martinsville, joining a list that includes Sam Ard, Brett Bodine, Brad Teague, and Jeff Burton.
Berry moved to the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet full-time in 2022. He scored wins at Dover and Charlotte to make the playoffs, then won at Las Vegas to advance to the Championship 4 and ultimately finished fourth in the final standings. In 2023, he posted a winless but consistent season, made the playoffs, and was eliminated at the Charlotte Roval. Across his Xfinity career, he earned 5 wins, 52 top tens, and 4 poles.
NASCAR Cup Series Era (2021-Present)
Berry made his Cup Series debut in May 2021 at Dover International Speedway, substituting for Justin Haley at Spire Motorsports. In 2023, he filled in for Chase Elliott at Hendrick Motorsports after Elliott’s snowboarding injury, finishing a career-best second at Richmond, and later drove the No. 48 for Alex Bowman and the No. 42 for Legacy Motor Club at Michigan.
On June 21, 2023, Stewart-Haas Racing signed Berry to replace Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 for the 2024 Cup season. He recorded a season-best third-place finish at both Darlington and New Hampshire, but Stewart-Haas Racing announced it would shut down its NASCAR operations at the end of 2024, putting Berry back on the market.
On July 3, 2024, Berry signed a multi-year deal with Wood Brothers Racing to drive the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, replacing Harrison Burton. In March 2025, he captured his first career Cup Series victory at the Pennzoil 400 in Las Vegas, passing Daniel Suárez and pulling away. The win was the first for Wood Brothers Racing in back-to-back seasons since Kyle Petty won in 1986 and 1987.
Driving Style and Strengths
Berry is known for a smooth, patient driving style that shines on short tracks and intermediate ovals. His late model background gives him sharp race craft, while his long-running partnership with the Wood Brothers crew has produced consistent finishes and stronger strategy calls in 2025.
Notable Races and Milestones
Beyond his Las Vegas Cup win, signature moments include his first Xfinity victory at Martinsville in 2021 and his Las Vegas Xfinity win in 2022 that locked him into the Championship 4. He also captured the 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race Open, qualifying first to transfer into the main event.
Josh Berry Career Wins
Berry has built an extensive win list across Late Models, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the NASCAR Cup Series. He is the all-time winningest driver in CARS Tour history with 22 Late Model Stock Tour victories, and he has added national-series wins in both Xfinity and Cup competition.
NASCAR Cup Series Highlights
Berry has 1 Cup Series win, 17 top tens, and 0 poles through the 2025 season. His first and only Cup victory came at the 2025 Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he passed Daniel Suárez late and pulled away. The result delivered a long-awaited milestone for both Berry and the historic Wood Brothers organization.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights
In the Xfinity Series, Berry has 5 wins, 52 top tens, and 4 poles. His first win came at Martinsville in 2021, while his most recent was the Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas in 2022, a victory that carried him into the Championship 4. He finished a career-best fourth in the 2022 Xfinity standings.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond NASCAR, Berry captured the 2017 CARS Late Model Stock Tour championship, the 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national title with 24 wins, and the 2019 ValleyStar Credit Union 300. He also won the 2021 and 2022 Thanksgiving All-Star Classic 150, the 2021 Hampton Heat 200, and the 2022 Icebreaker 125, among other marquee Late Model events.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Cup Series | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| NASCAR Xfinity Series | 5 | 52 | 4 |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Josh Berry Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Berry does not come from a traditional multi-generational racing family, but he developed close professional ties with the Earnhardt family through JR Motorsports. His long relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr., first built through online sim racing in 2008, helped shape his career path and connected him to one of NASCAR’s most famous lineages.
Personal Life
Berry is married to Ginny Berry, and the couple has two daughters, Charlotte Blake Berry and Kenzie Berry. Before his racing career took off, he worked as a bank teller to help fund his early competition, and he continues to live in the Tennessee area near his hometown of Hendersonville.
2025 Season Performance
Berry’s 2025 Cup Series season with Wood Brothers Racing began with a 37th-place DNF at the Daytona 500, but momentum quickly shifted. A fourth-place finish at Phoenix was the team’s first top five at that track in years, and the following week at Las Vegas he captured his first career Cup win at the Pennzoil 400. The result also delivered the Wood Brothers’ first back-to-back winning seasons since 1986 and 1987.
Despite that breakthrough, Berry endured a tough stretch of three consecutive last-place finishes at Darlington, Gateway, and Bristol, which dropped him in the standings. The difficult run eliminated him at the conclusion of the Cup Series round of 16, ending his playoff hopes in his first full season with the team.
Looking ahead, Berry and the Wood Brothers are focused on building consistency, leaning on his short-track strengths and the team’s veteran crew. The Las Vegas win gave the organization a clear blueprint for contending in 2026, and Berry’s playoff experience from his Xfinity days offers a strong foundation for the next campaign.
