With their sixth-place finish in Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team earned their ninth top-10 finish of the season and seventh in the past eight races.
After Friday’s qualifying session was washed out, Berry lined up 32nd in the No. 21 Würth Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the 500-lap race. Starting deep in the field at the fast, half-mile track put Berry in early danger of falling a lap down to the leaders, and he eventually went one lap down during the opening run.
Berry minimized the setback, however, working his way into the free pass position just before the competition caution flew at Lap 40. Back on the lead lap, he steadily worked his way forward and ended Stage 1 in 15th.
The No. 21 team had elected to pit for four fresh tires during a mid-stage caution, allowing Berry to stay on track during the stage break and move up to seventh for the start of Stage 2.
From there, Berry continued his charge through the field, racing inside the top five throughout the 125-lap segment before finishing Stage 2 in fourth and collecting seven stage points.
Berry and the Würth team continued to run among the leaders throughout the final segment, maintaining a position inside the top eight despite sustaining minor nose damage while working through lapped traffic. Berry ultimately took the checkered flag in sixth, leading all non-Chase competitors and continuing a strong stretch for the No. 21 team.
“Our car was honestly really strong,” Berry told reporters after the race. “We were pretty tight early and took a swing at it, and then the car was really strong from there.
“I got a little damage coming through lapped traffic. The 42, I was going by him on the outside and the 42 decided to block me instead of running the bottom like the 10 laps before.
“I ran into him and got a little nose damage. I don’t know if that hurt it, but all in all, a good car. I would have loved a top five, but we’ll keep it going next week.”
