Josh Berry Clinches Second Place at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Josh Berry and Wood Brothers Racing secured a significant result at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, finishing second in the Mobil 1 301. This marked a much-needed improvement following three consecutive disappointing outings in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Berry, who was eliminated from post-season contention last week, encountered challenges during the race. He initially led after not pitting under caution with 48 laps remaining, but lost the lead to his teammate Ryan Blaney when Blaney made a decisive pass with 39 laps to go. Berry struggled with older tires, which hampered his performance during the closing laps.
In his post-race comments, Berry acknowledged the team’s effort: “It was definitely an awesome day. We had a really good car… I was a little worried when he [Blaney] got around me as quick as he did. All in all, Miles [Stanley] and this whole team did a great job.”
Berry’s race began on a challenging note when he was spun by Shane van Gisbergen on lap 82, after finishing fourth in the first stage. This incident forced his team to manage limited tires, culminating in a strategy that culminated in his eventual second-place finish.
He concluded the race with an average running position of 8.3, finishing in the top 10 during the second stage. Berry was optimistic about the potential for future races: “It stings to finish second, but after the last couple weeks, it feels really good.”
With this performance, Berry hopes to build momentum for upcoming events, demonstrating the capability of the Wood Brothers team.
