Josh Berry Bio
Joshua William Berry, born on 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 built his reputation as the all-time winningest driver in CARS Tour history during a long late model career with JR Motorsports before stepping into NASCAR national series competition.
Raised in Hendersonville, Tennessee, Berry balanced a part-time job as a bank teller with grassroots racing before his career provided a steady income. His path from Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Legend Cars to the Cup Series garage reflects more than a decade of development under the JR Motorsports banner and a smooth transition into NASCAR’s top tier.
Early Life and Background
Joshua William Berry was born on October 22, 1990, in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He grew up in a racing-friendly region of Middle Tennessee, where short tracks and late model competition thrive. As a young driver, he cut his teeth racing Legend Cars at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, a historic venue that has long been a proving ground for aspiring stock car talent.
To fund his early racing, Berry worked as a bank teller while attending Volunteer State Community College. He is a former 7th and 8th grade classmate of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden, and he attended the same high school at the same time as music star Taylor Swift. Those early connections and the discipline of balancing school, work, and racing shaped the work ethic that carried him into professional motorsports.
Path to NASCAR
Berry met his future car owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in 2008 while competing in an online sim racing league called DMP Online Racing. Earnhardt Jr. signed Berry to his JR Motorsports team in 2010 to compete in late model racing, launching a partnership that would last more than a decade. Berry quickly established himself as a force in the CARS Tour, where he eventually became the all-time winningest driver in series history.
Berry’s first NASCAR national series start came in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Iowa Speedway, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, where he started tenth and finished twelfth. He later made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in 2016 at Chicagoland Speedway for Contreras Motorsports, and he added an ARCA Racing Series start at Salem Speedway in 2018. Those early appearances set the stage for a full-time Xfinity opportunity with JR Motorsports.
Josh Berry Career
Early Career (2010–2020)
Berry spent the early 2010s racing late model stock cars for JR Motorsports, building a résumé that included dozens of CARS Tour wins and a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national championship. In 2016, he expanded into the NASCAR Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports, posting top-ten finishes at Iowa and Kentucky, and he made his Truck Series debut at Chicagoland Speedway. Limited opportunities kept his national series schedule light through 2019, but he remained a dominant force at the late model level.
On October 22, 2020, JR Motorsports announced that Berry would drive its No. 8 car for 12 races in the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. The expanded schedule marked his real arrival as a national series contender after years of waiting for the right opportunity.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2021–2023)
Berry delivered on his opportunity in 2021, recording his first Xfinity Series win at Martinsville after passing Ty Gibbs for the lead with 28 laps remaining. He became 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. The victory cemented his reputation as a short-track ace and earned him additional starts later that season.
In 2022, Berry moved into the No. 8 for JR Motorsports full-time, winning at Dover and Charlotte to make the playoffs before adding a crucial victory at Las Vegas to advance to the Championship 4. He ultimately finished fourth in the final Xfinity Series standings, his best result to that point. During 2023, Berry drove winless but remained consistent enough to make the playoffs, with his run ending at the Charlotte Roval. His time in the Xfinity Series established him as one of the top prospects in the garage.
NASCAR Cup Series Debut and Stewart–Haas Racing Era (2023–2024)
Berry made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in May 2021 at Dover International Speedway, substituting for Justin Haley in the Spire Motorsports No. 77. He later filled in for Chase Elliott in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 in 2023, posting a career-best second-place finish at Richmond, and he took over the No. 48 for Alex Bowman after Bowman suffered a back injury. On June 21, 2023, Stewart–Haas Racing signed Berry as Kevin Harvick’s replacement in the No. 4 for the 2024 Cup Series season.
Berry started his rookie Cup campaign with a 25th-place finish at the 2024 Daytona 500 and recorded a season-best third-place result at Darlington and later at New Hampshire. When Stewart–Haas Racing announced on May 28, 2024, that it would shut down its NASCAR operations at the end of the season, Berry found himself looking for a new home.
Wood Brothers Racing Era (2025–Present)
On July 3, 2024, Berry signed a multi-year deal with Wood Brothers Racing to drive the No. 21 car, replacing Harrison Burton. He opened the 2025 season with a 37th-place DNF at the Daytona 500, but momentum arrived quickly at Phoenix, where a fourth-place finish gave Wood Brothers its first top-five at the track in years. The following week at Las Vegas, Berry scored his first career Cup Series win, passing Daniel Suarez and pulling away to claim the victory.
The Las Vegas win marked the first time since the 1986 and 1987 seasons that Wood Brothers won in back-to-back seasons, both previously with Kyle Petty. Despite the milestone victory, a stretch of last-place finishes at Darlington, St. Louis, and Bristol ended his playoff run in the round of 16. Even so, the early results validated Berry’s move to one of NASCAR’s most historic teams.
Driving Style and Strengths
Berry is widely regarded as a short-track and intermediate-track specialist with a smooth, patient driving style. His late model background gives him strong tire management and race craft, while his experience in heavy traffic helps him navigate long runs. A strong partnership with his crew chief has been a key factor in maximizing his performance on ovals, where consistency often matters more than raw speed.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include his first Xfinity Series win at Martinsville in 2021, the Las Vegas Xfinity victory in 2022 that locked him into the Championship 4, and his first Cup Series win at Las Vegas in 2025. His dramatic airborne crash in the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, from which he walked away unharmed, also became one of the most talked-about moments of that season.
Josh Berry Career Wins
Joshua William Berry has built a résumé highlighted by his status as the all-time winningest driver in CARS Tour history, a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national championship, and a victory in the 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race Open. His national series wins span the Xfinity Series and the Cup Series, with additional triumphs in the Truck Series at Las Vegas in 2021.
Cup Series Highlights
Berry’s first career Cup Series victory came at Las Vegas in 2025, driving the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse. The win ended a multi-year wait for his first trip to Victory Lane at NASCAR’s top level and marked a historic return to form for Wood Brothers Racing. While he was eliminated in the round of 16, the early-season pace underlined his potential for bigger results to come.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the Cup Series, Berry won twice in the Xfinity Series in 2022 and added the 2021 Xfinity win at Martinsville along with the 2021 Truck Series victory at Las Vegas. He also captured a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national championship and has piled up dozens of CARS Tour victories, including the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown and numerous Late Model Stock Car and Super Late Model events across the Southeast.
Josh Berry Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Berry’s racing lineage is more about personal connection than family tradition. His career-launching relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr. began in an online sim racing league in 2008 and grew into a long professional partnership through JR Motorsports. Berry even served as crew chief for Earnhardt Jr. in CARS Tour races at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2022 and 2023, a sign of the mutual respect between driver and mentor.
Personal Life
Berry is married to Ginny Berry, and the couple has two daughters, Charlotte Blake Berry and Kenzie Berry. He is a graduate of Volunteer State Community College and previously worked as a bank teller to help fund his early racing career. His social media presence remains active, with profiles on X and Instagram where he engages with fans.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season opened with promise and adversity for Berry and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team. After a 37th-place DNF at the Daytona 500, the team rebounded at Phoenix with a fourth-place finish, the first top-five for Wood Brothers at the track in years. The following week at Las Vegas, Berry delivered his first career Cup Series victory, passing Daniel Suarez and pulling away to win.
The Las Vegas triumph made headlines as the first Wood Brothers win in back-to-back seasons since 1986 and 1987. Unfortunately, momentum stalled over the next three races, with last-place finishes at Darlington, St. Louis, and Bristol. As a result, Berry was eliminated from playoff contention at the conclusion of the round of 16.
Despite the playoff exit, Berry’s first Cup win and consistent intermediate-track pace have set a strong foundation for the rest of the season. With a multi-year contract in place and the historic Wood Brothers organization behind him, the 2025 campaign represents an important step in establishing himself as a long-term contender at NASCAR’s top level.