Josh Berry has never shied away from racing aggressively. But it hasn’t been without consequences. Remember the Round of 16? Chase Elliott and Josh Berry got into a tussle at Gateway last month. Berry’s car was bumped in Turn 1 by the No. 9 Chevy, sending him into the wall and ending his day early. But that only derailed his title hunt.

And while Josh Berry saw his playoff hopes get dashed after the Round of 16, the No. 21 Ford driver was more than ready to make a comeback and end his 2025 season strong. Berry rolled off the grid in 27th place, aiming to better his position, and in the process, ended up getting into an incident.

Josh Berry drops a brutal statement against racing hard

Speaking post-race, the 35-year-old sounded off on the incident. He said, “I guess the one with the pool shot of the 48 (Alex Bowman) into me into the 41 (Ryan Preece). I mean, we’re just racing hard for the lucky dog. I mean, you got no choice; it’s kill or be killed, and just try to just root and gouge all you can, and yeah, I moved the 48 and then he moved me back, and it knocked me into 41 and then I mean, it’s just it sucks having to race like that, but we got no choice.” 

Late in Stage 1, Josh Berry found himself in the middle of a chaotic mid-pack battle with the Lucky Dog pass and lifeline drivers just outside the lead lap. Berry, who was looking to race as fiercely as he could, seemed to have battled Alex Bowman for it hard. He described the incident as a moment where Alex Bowman nudged him into Ryan Preece as a revolt, leaving him no choice. The contact was unavoidable in the intense scramble. And though it wasn’t a penalty, it was a perfect illustration of the brutal mid-pack battles that often go unnoticed in the lap-by-lap highlights.

However, beyond that dramatic moment, the Wood Brothers Racing driver put together a composed and steady performance for the rest of the race. By lap 418, he had climbed into the top five, running alongside Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Ross Chastain, and Chase Elliott, showing excellent pace and car control. Just a few laps before, he was still holding fifth, maintaining a competitive line through traffic.

Even though he never contended for the win, which went to William Byron, Berry’s ability to navigate the laps cleanly and consistently kept him on the lead lap and showcased his skill in one of the trickiest short tracks of the season.

However, his Penske affiliates, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano, who had much higher risk takes while fighting for a spot in the Championship 4, failed to make it through. And now with the Championship 4 grid set, Team Penske is out of contention after dominating the playoffs for three consecutive years.

It’s Toyota vs. Chevrolet in the Championship chase

Phoenix Raceway is set for a showdown of heavyweights, with two Hendrick Motorsports drivers and two Joe Gibbs Racing drivers punching the tickets to the Championship 4. Ford’s Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe had already sealed their spots with wins at Las Vegas and Talladega, leaving just two championship berths up for grabs at Martinsville.

JGR driver Christopher Bell entered the race teetering on the cut line, a mere point separating him from Kyle Larson. With one of the drivers below the cut line likely to win, Bell needed to outscore Larson, but he couldn’t.

Bell fell 7 points short as William Byron, a driver below the cut line, claimed the checkered flag, knocking Bell out of title contention.

However, Hendrick Motorsports also lost Chase Elliott, who finished third behind Ryan Blaney, though a victory was the only way in. So, with one driver from each organization lost and gained, Phoenix is going to be an intense battle. The race is simple: whichever driver finishes highest takes it all, a trend that has held through in eight of the last nine years under this format. And as the NASCAR 2025 season nears its end, all eyes and ears are going to be on the driver who picks up the trophy.