Wood Brothers Throwing Back to 1996 All-Star Victory at North Wilkesboro

When Josh Berry takes the track for the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, he'll do so celebrating another historic moment for Wood Brothers Racing in the event.

Berry's No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse, with primary sponsorship from DEX Imaging, will carry the Wood Brothers colors from the 1996 NASCAR Cup Series season. That year, Michael Waltrip scored a stunning upset in the All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

With a fifth-place finish, Waltrip raced his way into the All-Star Race through the Open in 1996, starting last in the 20-car field. He took the lead in the final segment, leading the last nine laps for his first NASCAR Cup Series victory, albeit a non-points exhibition. Waltrip's first points-paying Cup Series win came five years later in the 2001 Daytona 500.

Now, Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing team will honor that moment with a solid-orange Ford as the Hendersonville, Tennessee native takes part in the All-Star Race. Berry earned that privilege with his victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.

Berry previously competed in the All-Star Race in 2023, driving the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports entry, substituting for an injured Alex Bowman. That year, Berry won the All-Star Open to secure his spot in the All-Star field.

This year, Berry will have no such need to transfer in through the Open, courtesy of the Las Vegas triumph. This will be the first appearance for Wood Brothers Racing in the All-Star Race since 2021, when Matt DiBenedetto won the Fan Vote to secure the 21st starting spot in the field.

The NASCAR All-Star Race takes place on Sunday, May 18 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The green flag waves at 8 p.m. ET, with coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

-Photo credit: Wood Brothers Racing