Berry’s Texas Misfortune Costs Race Lead
Josh Berry faced a critical setback during the Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway, losing his lead after a crash on lap 125. Driving the Wurth Ford Mustang for Wood Brothers Racing, Berry encountered a bump in Turn 4, causing his car to spin and collide with the outside wall. The incident abruptly ended a promising performance where he had led for 41 laps.
“I thought I was all right,” Berry remarked to his team after the incident, reflecting on the unexpected loss of control that followed an otherwise stable run. Prior to the crash, Berry had successfully defended against challenges from Ford teammate Austin Cindric and Kyle Larson, having taken the lead right after the first stage following a pit stop adjustment.
Despite a strong car, which he described as “really good,” Berry struggled to navigate lap traffic effectively. The damage from the crash required repairs and relegated him to a 32nd-place finish, marking a significant drop in momentum; he has not secured a top-10 result since his victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.
“The car was really strong early on. I felt pretty good running outside to get around lapped traffic, but then hit that bump and got loose,” Berry explained. Reflecting on the day’s events, he stated, “In these cars, especially at a place like this, you’re going to be fast and it’s going to be uncomfortable. Unfortunately, it bit us today.”
As the season progresses, Berry will need to learn from this experience to regain consistency and competitiveness on the track.
