Josh Berry has a fan in Ryan Blaney.
Berry has established himself well at Wood Brothers Racing and as a teammate of the Team Penske trio of Blaney, Joey Logano, and Austin Cindric. The two organizations work closely together as alliance partners, including Berry being involved in the weekly debriefs. This week’s gathering came after Berry earned his first Cup Series victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Although he has the least experience in a Cup Series car compared to his teammates, Berry is not afraid to speak up in the meetings. It’s a characteristic Blaney really likes, and the 2023 series champion believes Berry is going to be a great asset to the group as the year progresses.
“We had the conversation when he first came in (where) it’s like, hey, just be open about things,” Blaney said this week. “Don’t be afraid to speak up, because everyone is here for a reason. Every driver and crew chief is sitting in here because they’re really good at what they do, and your input matters. Don’t be afraid to say your input if you think differently, or if you guys are on a different path. How is that path going?”
It’s the first year for Berry driving the iconic No. 21 Ford Mustang for the Wood Brothers. The opportunity to have access to the resources of Penske and its drivers was something Berry felt was going to be essential to his growth as a driver. With that comes confidence that he can be successful.
Blaney described Berry as a “fast” driver who is “incredibly smart.” Plus, the decision to pair Miles Stanley, a longtime Penske employee who Blaney is familiar with and believes in, with Berry on the car as crew chief has proven correct.
“Everyone is different in how they describe things and how they go about their craft,” Blaney said. “I’ll just say it: it’s been great to work with Josh. He’s been a lot of fun to work with. I had a great time with Harrison for a few years as well, and he brought a ton to the table, a lot of information, and Josh is the same way. He brings a lot of information. He’s completely in it, and it’s been fun to get to know him; I didn’t know him very well before he got over to the 21 car.