Ryan Blaney: Berry and Wood Brothers Are Just Getting Started with Winning
Josh Berry has a fan in Ryan Blaney following his first Cup Series victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Blaney particularly admires Berry's willingness to contribute during team debriefs, despite being the least experienced Cup Series driver among his teammates.
"Everyone is sitting in here because they're really good at what they do, and your input matters," Blaney noted, reflecting on his early conversations with Berry. "Don't be afraid to speak up if you think differently."
IndyCar racers competing on racetrack
Berry, who drives the iconic No. 21 Ford Mustang for Wood Brothers Racing, works closely with Team Penske's trio of Blaney, Joey Logano, and Austin Cindric through their alliance partnership. Blaney describes Berry as both "fast" and "incredibly smart," praising the pairing with crew chief Miles Stanley, a longtime Penske employee.
"It's been great to work with Josh," Blaney said. "He brings a lot of information. He's completely in it, and he'll bring stuff up that makes me double-think."
Berry is the first Ford driver to win a Cup Series race this season, while Blaney and Logano currently hold seventh and eighth positions in the championship standings. Cindric sits at 21st.
Looking ahead, Blaney believes the Wood Brothers team can maintain their competitive edge alongside Team Penske. "They're not done winning. People were excited for them to get 100, and they'll continue to rack it on," Blaney affirmed, highlighting the strong partnership between the two organizations and their shared resources.
The alliance proved successful last year when all four cars qualified for the postseason, marking only the second time this has happened in the elimination era since 2020.