Eddie Wood said it best in describing the performance of Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
“It was a great day with a not-so-great ending,” Wood said.
Indeed, Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team were strong from start to finish but were swept up in a last-lap crash that relegated them to a 25th-place finish. Berry started third and ran in the top three for much of Sunday’s race. He took the lead for the first time on Lap 33 and led six more times for a total of 56 laps. He also won the first Stage, collecting a Playoff point and 10 Stage points.
Berry’s win in the first Stage, a 60-lap, caution-free run, was the second of his career and his first since joining the Wood Brothers team.
Berry dropped out of the top five at times in the second Stage, a 100-lapper, but remained in the top 10. The Motorcraft/Quick Lane team opted to pit from 10th place with five laps remaining in the Stage, a move that allowed him to restart the final segment of the race from sixth place. He retook the lead on Lap 200 and led on three more occasions for a total of 25 laps in the final Stage.
As the laps wound down, Berry and fellow Ford driver Austin Cindric ran nose to tail at the head of the pack for nearly 10 laps, but just as Berry dropped back a couple of spots, Cindric was involved in a multi-car wreck that sent the race into Overtime. Berry lined up fifth for the two-lap dash to the checkered flag, but the last-lap wreck left him 25th at the finish.
“You really can’t feel too bad about it,” Wood said. “Josh and (crew chief) Miles Stanley did a great job all day. I feel really good about where our race team is at this point.”
Berry echoed the same sentiments in his post-race comments to reporters at the track.
“We had a really fast car,” he said. “We were able to stay aggressive, stay on the offense, stay up front. I feel that I am in a situation now where I can succeed.”
Berry said he obviously didn’t get the finish he and the team deserved, but he was proud of putting the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse at the front of the pack.
“Honestly it was a lot of fun, but it was just crazy – a lot of aggressive moves racing there at the end,” he said, adding that the craziest part was at the last of the race. “The [No.] 77 threw the [No.] 1 out of line, and I kind of pushed him through the middle. Then we just got squeezed together once into [Turn] One and then again off [Turn] Two. We all just ran out of room there. It’s just disappointing.”
Berry, Stanley and the Wood Brothers team now turn their attention to road-course racing and next week’s EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.
About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.
About Wood Brothers Racing
Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 100 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in NASCAR’s premier series with Josh Berry.
