Josh Berry Secures First Career NASCAR Cup Series Win at Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS — Josh Berry made history on Sunday, securing his first career NASCAR Cup Series win in dramatic fashion at the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Berry, driving for Wood Brothers Racing, made a crucial move on Daniel Suarez with just 14 laps remaining, holding onto the lead and capturing the victory in only his fifth race with the team.

Berry’s triumph marks the 101st win in NASCAR Cup Series history for Wood Brothers Racing, and it ends a seven-year winless streak for the team. The last victory came in August when Harrison Burton won at Daytona. Berry entered the race fresh off a career-best fourth-place finish at Phoenix, and his win at Las Vegas was a testament to his growth and skill behind the wheel. With 40-to-1 odds to win heading into the weekend, the victory was a significant achievement for the young driver.

The race saw a competitive field, with Daniel Suarez, Ryan Preece, William Byron, and Ross Chastain finishing in the top five. Berry’s win also put an end to Christopher Bell’s three-race winning streak. Bell, who had dominated the past few weeks, finished the race in 12th position.

A key moment in the race came on Lap 194 when a six-car wreck took Ryan Blaney out of contention, ending what had already been a tough weekend for the No. 12 team. The accident also impacted Kyle Larson, who had been leading the race and looked to be in control. After the wreck, Larson found himself relegated to 18th place after the restart. Despite a valiant effort, Larson was unable to work his way back to the front, ultimately finishing in ninth. Larson had dominated earlier in the race, leading 61 laps and showing the strongest car on track.

Larson’s efforts were highlighted by his second-stage win, which came with just three laps remaining in the stage. The victory marked the first time this season a driver had earned two stage wins. Larson had shown his strength early in the stage, passing Bubba Wallace on Lap 100 and maintaining the lead through a series of cautions and pit strategy shuffles.

Wallace had initially led the field to start the second stage, holding off Austin Cindric and Chase Elliott after the pit stops. Cindric narrowly edged Alex Bowman to win the first stage after a battle with the field in the final 15 laps before the stage caution.

The race was also marred by several mechanical issues, including two significant incidents involving pit stops. Chase Briscoe lost his left rear wheel during a green-flag pit cycle, causing several drivers to go a lap down. Later, Kyle Busch also lost a wheel, forcing his car into the wall. Both Briscoe and Busch received mandatory two-lap penalties for their respective issues, and their pit crews faced a two-race suspension. Busch’s race ended in disappointment, finishing 35 laps down, while Briscoe managed to recover from being as much as four laps down, finishing in 17th place.

In the end, it was Josh Berry who stood victorious, marking a major milestone in his young career and a historic win for Wood Brothers Racing. With the win, Berry not only earned his place in NASCAR history but also solidified himself as a rising star in the sport.