Josh Berry and the No. 21 Freightliner team showed solid pace through the opening two segments of Sunday night’s Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway, but a costly pit road penalty derailed a promising run and led to a 30th-place finish.
Berry rolled off 20th in the Freightliner Ford Mustang Dark Horse and maintained position through the first 90-lap Stage, ultimately finishing 19th. In Stage Two, the team hit its stride. Berry steadily worked his way forward, breaking into the top 10 for the first time on Lap 126. He held his ground from there, closing out the segment in ninth and collecting two valuable Stage points.
During the Stage break, the team was penalized for a crew member going over the wall too soon during a pit stop. The penalty sent Berry to the rear of the field for the final segment, leaving him just over 100 laps to try and recover.
He worked his way up to 26th with 78 laps to go, and the team made a strategic gamble by staying out under green, hoping for a caution. Berry climbed to second during the cycle, but the yellow flag never came. He was forced to pit with 32 laps remaining, which dropped him to 30th, one lap down—where he ultimately finished.
The night ended with former Wood Brothers driver and Ford teammate Ryan Blaney earning a hard-fought and popular victory, his first of the season.
“We were glad to see Ryan get the win,” said team co-owner Eddie Wood. “He’s come so close this season, and it was good to see it all come together for him.”
Next up for Berry and the No. 21 team is a return to Michigan International Speedway—Ford Motor Company’s home track—for the FireKeepers Casino 400.
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 101 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.
