Berry returns to Late Model Roots for Thanksgiving classic After Breakthrough NASCAR Cup Series Season
Rockingham, NC – โNASCAR Cup Series race winner Josh Berry is switching gears this weekend, โreturning to Late Model Stock competition for the 25th Annual Thanksgiving โClassic at Southern National Motorsports Park. berry will pilot the No. 21 entry for Tom Usry Racing in the 250-lap feature on Sunday, November 30, following Saturday’s qualifying.
The event marks a return to familiar territory โfor Berry, a two-time Thanksgiving Classic champion, having won the race in both 2021 and 2022.”It’s fun,” Berry said. “I’ve obviouslyโ had a busy year and it’s the first possibility I’ve had to race a Late Model Stock this year, obviously. It’sโ always fun to come back hear and race. I’ve won this race a couple times, had some success here,โ and it’s a fun โคone โto come race. I really enjoy racing with โขthese guys, Kenneth and everybody at Tom Usry Racing.”
Berry’s 2024 season saw him initiallyโ join Stewart-Haas racing to replace the retired Kevin Harvick, before ultimately landing with the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team. He secured his โคfirst NASCAR Cup Series victory โin the โfifth race of the 2025 season. “It’s such a big deal winning in the โCup Series man,” berry explained.”It’sโฃ such โฃa journey to get โฃthere, and to accomplish thatโฃ was really huge. โคHonestly, hadโ a lot of โgood runs throughout the season as well.We’re excited to keep the same group,go back and have โขa year under our belt and hopefullyโข we can โขfind our way back โto victory lane.”
Prior to his full-time Cup Series ride, Berry competed in the โขNASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity Series) for JRโ motorsports, building on a foundation established in Late โModel โฃracing with the โขsameโ team.
Despite cooler temperatures in the mid-40s during Friday’s practice – approximately 20 degrees cooler than expected race day conditions – Berry anticipates minimal impact on the car’s โsetup. “I don’t know that it will change too much,” โคhe stated. “It’s something we’ve fought, done here with the scheduleโฆOnce we get going, โคI feel like โฃit will be pretty โnormal. We just need to have a good car. It’s a long race Sunday, so we need toโ have a good balance and make sure it hangs on the long run.”