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Former NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick delivered his verdict after Josh Berry won his maiden Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last week. He was piloting the #21 Wood Brothers Racing's Ford. Harvick mentioned that the team was well-managed throughout the race, keeping Berry consistent.
Josh Berry made his full-time debut in the Cup Series last year with Stewart-Haas Racing, however, when the team announced their closure at the end of the season, Wood Brothers Racing signed the 34-year-old as they had to let Harrison Burton go. The start of the season seemed rather tough for Berry, however, his fourth-place finish at Phoenix looked promising and was followed by his maiden victory at Las Vegas last week.
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Praising his performance and the team on his namesake podcast, Harvick said:
"He had the speed in his car to be able to continue driving it aggressively and putting himself in position to have good restarts and wound up just driving around Suarez there at the end with a way better car," Kevin Harvick said about Berry's victory. "This really proves that hard work and determination can get you to the Cup Series still."
Berry kept consistent throughout the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Although he did not win any of the stages, he was within the top 10 most of the time. He was in winning contention during the final laps and managed to clear himself up as the race came to an end. He had a clear victory with no threat.
Unlike a lot of drivers, Berry did not have a smooth way into NASCAR. He worked hard to get in this position and make it to the premier series of stock racing.
"Josh Berry worked hard kept himself in position to have the next ride when he had the opportunities. He wound up being competitive and put himself in positions to win races and winning races is what gets you to the next level," Harvick added.
"Especially when you don't have a pot of money to lean on they're good drivers and wind up at the good teams and Josh has been through some terrible scenarios."
Harvick also mentioned that Berry has landed himself in a good team with a dependable crew chief who could help him remain competitive.
Kevin Harvick praises Wood Brothers Racing discussing Josh Berry as a "great fit" within the team
Wood Brothers Racing has been in the sport for the past seven decades, sharing a history of immense success and dominance. However, the team eventually started to fall off in terms of performance and were at the back of the field in recent years. Last year, they won their 100th race with Harrison Burton behind the wheel but most of his finishes in the car were outside the top 20.
Josh Berry brings optimism to the team. Moreover, Kevin Harvick feels that he is a "great fit" amongst the crew. Appreciating the team, the 49-year-old mentioned that the team has been largely supportive of Berry so far.
"I think he's well prepared with the amount of races that he's run. He's got a great crew chief, he's got the Wood Brothers and John Wood, their son, supporting him in every way possible. He's a great fit for who they are as an organization. It's just a very structured environment and he's run well every week that we've been to the racetrack," Harvick concluded.
Although Berry was out of the top 20 in the first three races this season, he was fourth in Phoenix and won in LVMS.
