JOLIET, Ill. — Josh Berry and Wood Brothers Racing will be looking to capitalize on a high-profile weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Chicagoland Speedway for the first time since 2019.
Berry arrives at the 1.5-mile oval carrying added responsibilities beyond the race itself. The No. 21 Ford Mustang will feature primary sponsorship from eero, which is also the entitlement sponsor for Sunday’s eero 400, putting extra attention on the Wood Brothers Racing entry throughout the weekend.
“It’s going to be good to get back to Chicagoland,” Berry said. “It’s obviously a track we haven’t raced at in a while, so it’s great to see it back on the schedule.
“From everything we’ve heard and what we’ve seen, it looks like the facility is in great shape, and I think it’ll produce some good racing.
“It’s also a big weekend for our partner eero with them serving as the entitlement sponsor of the race, so we’d love to put together a good run for them.”
The weekend also coincides with America’s 250th anniversary celebration branding, as Berry’s No. 21 Ford Mustang will carry a special patriotic paint scheme.
“We’ve got a really sharp patriotic paint scheme on the No. 21 Ford Mustang, and hopefully we can give everyone at eero a weekend they’ll be proud of,” Berry said.
Away from the racetrack, Berry is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Saturday night’s game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, adding another marquee appearance to his weekend itinerary.
While Chicagoland has been absent from the Cup Series schedule for several seasons, Berry does have previous experience at the track. His lone NASCAR national series start at the speedway came in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in 2016, where he finished 13th after qualifying 22nd.
Practice is scheduled for Friday evening, with qualifying set for Saturday afternoon. Sunday’s race will cover 267 laps, with stage breaks planned for Laps 80 and 165.