LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Josh Berry claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and delivered Wood Brothers Racing its 101st win on Sunday.
Berry, the Tennessee driver who built his career on iRacing and short tracks across the nation, outmaneuvered Daniel Suarez in the final laps. This is the fifth straight first-time winner for the team that has fielded entries in NASCAR since 1950.
FOX Sports reporter Jamie Little asked Berry how it felt to cross the line first. “Oh man, I don’t even know what to think,” he said. “We just battled and battled and battled and man it was our day.”
He ran within the top ten throughout the whole race and put himself in position when it mattered most. His winning pass on Suarez came after a restart with 19 laps to go.
“Beating and banging at a mile and a half is crazy,” Berry said after he and Suarez fought for the lead. “Whoever was going to get out front was probably going to win and we were able to get it.”
This is the first time that the Wood Brother have scored back-to-back seasons with a win since 1986 and 1987. The historic No. 21 car is now locked into the Playoffs and All Star Race.
“They’ve just been so good to me,” Berry said about the team who welcomed him after his old team Stewart-Haas Racing shut down last season. He said “It’s just been a great relationship.”
Berry cut his teeth racing Late Models for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and earned an opportunity to race for JRM in Xfinity in 2021. Four years later, he became the first NASCAR weekly series champion to win a race in the premier division of stock car racing.
It was a popular win for the sport, with dozens of drivers and team members showing their support on social media. Dale Jr. and Kelly Earnhardt both praised their former driver on X.
Berry moved up eight positions in the NASCAR standings and now sits in 13th place. Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron maintained his advantage on Christopher Bell for the points lead.
Trouble in the pits ultimately cost Bell a shot at four consecutive wins. He suffered a loose wheel in the late stages of the race and never was able to battle back into contention.
The race featured 32 lead changes with nine drivers leading at least 10 laps. Kyle Larson led the most laps at 61, but fell back during the final pit cycle and finished ninth.
The NASCAR Cup Series will trek down to Florida on Sunday, March 23 for 400 miles at Homestead Miami Speedway. Catch race coverage on FS1 at 3 p.m. ET.