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How Scaling Back in 2025 Allowed Austin Berry Racing to Refocus and Regain Momentum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mifflin, PA – September 30, 2025
by Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Mgmt
Image Credit: Derick Kriner Photography

At the end of 2024, when Austin Berry made the decision to scale back his schedule in 2025 so he could make sure personal priorities and racing budgets all fit together and result in a better long-term situation, he did so because he felt it was a better option than shutting down the race team completely for a year.

“The advancements in this sport are nonstop. If you don’t stay in the game, you fall behind, and it takes a long time to catch up. We considered taking a break for a season to focus on building our house and saving some money in the racing budget. I felt we would fall behind if we did that, so we agreed on a scaled-back schedule so that we could keep up,” Berry explained.

WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

Skipping 2025 would have meant significant savings in tires, parts, and fuel, not to mention eliminating an engine refresh bill.

It turned out Berry’s decision was more right than he even thought it would be. Not only did Austin Berry Racing keep up, they gained ground. From Berry’s perspective, which is shared by folks outside the team as well, the team improved more during their limited 2025 schedule than they had in 2023 and 2024 combined.

Berry competed in eleven super late model events in his family’s Tuscarora Restoration, Juniata Veterinary Clinic, Berry’s Siding & Seamless Gutter, Dye It Rite, SRI Performance, VP Racing Fuels No.86, and six limited late model events during the 2025 season, the latter in the seat of the Bobby Dunn Racing No.34D.

“Racing in two different divisions at several different tracks, and getting a lot of laps at some places I didn’t have a lot of laps at before, like Bedford, made me a lot better behind the wheel,” Berry shared.

“I got a lot better at reacting to the car instead of basically memorizing how I thought I should drive the car at a particular track. I learned to do different things in the seat and race the car, not the track.”

What Berry learned behind the wheel had a positive ripple effect in the pits, too, as he was able to give better feedback to his team to help make setup decisions.

Berry’s improvements were noticeable statistically. He qualified much better against the clock than in recent years, and he scored three top ten finishes in his last six super late model races. In the limited late model, he finished 11th or better in five of his six main events.

“In the super late model, the tone for the whole night is set by qualifying, so that’s what we have been focusing a lot of our energy on,” Berry said.

“That focus, combined with a lot more laps at some tracks than we have had before, paid off. Look at Bedford Speedway’s Labor Day 55, for example. I have never made that race before, despite trying several times. This year, we came to Bedford several times, got a better notebook, and made the show through our heat race.”

“Those are the kind of things you have to measure progress by. Progress isn’t just measured by wins. It’s a building block process to keep getting better and better. You celebrate achievements like that because you know they show what you are doing is working.”

Berry says expanding the team’s network of resources and people to lean on, and leveraging those things more frequently than in the past, was a big part of their improvements, too.

“I talked to the guys at Rocket Chassis a lot, plus our crew chief, Josh, was communicating with our partners at Penske Shocks almost every day. Then we would talk within the team, sharing information and ideas as well. We had more information, but yet we actually simplified things overall, which helped keep our decisions more in line week to week. It kept us from straying away from what we knew,” Berry explained.

On the budget front, 2025 has to be considered a win as well. Berry’s scaled-back schedule put few enough laps on their Cornette engine that a refresh will not be needed over the coming offseason, plus the team’s fuel, tires, and parts schedules were greatly reduced as well.

DOWN THE ROAD

Berry’s primary goal for 2026 is a pretty straightforward one.

“We want to get back to being a staple at local super late model races, so people aren’t wondering if we will be there,” Berry said.

“My wife and I had put off building our home for a few years, but this year we tackled that project, and it’s almost finished. With that done, I will be able to go into next season with a clearer mind,” Berry said.

Not only that, but he’ll go into next season with a brand new, larger race shop, too. The new shop, which is attached to the new house, was a part of that construction project. The race shop will be the last part of the build to be completed, but the team will race out of that shop in 2026.

Even though the on-track portion of the 2025 racing season is over for Berry, he never loses focus on taking care of his marketing partners. The promotions continue, and attention to those relationships requires effort year-round.

Austin Berry Racing is also interested in working with new partners who are interested in having the team represent their business and promote their products and/or services during the 2026 season.

Berry also noted the team is looking to increase its equipment depth for 2026. The goal is to have two rolling cars ready by summer.

“With what we saved on a motor refresh, and hopefully if we have a good 2026 kickoff fundraiser party, we will have enough to pick up a new chassis and make that our primary car,” Berry shared.

The team’s current Rocket XR1 would become a backup car.

Beyond 2026, the team would like to add a second powerplant, which could be another super motor, or they might choose to add a crate motor to use in the second car.

“What our second motor might be will be something we decide down the road. A crate motor would give us more opportunities to race, but having a backup for our super would be valuable too, of course,” Berry added.

Berry would like to do more traveling in the coming year or two. The team upgraded their toter situation after the 2024 season as step one toward that goal. They did so by selling the truck they had been using for many years and acquiring a larger pre-owned one.

Another upgrade that would be key to traveling more is a larger trailer, which is something Berry hopes the team can acquire within three years.

“I would really like to venture out to some races outside our region. There are some good-paying races that would make it justifiable for us to travel, plus I just have some races on my bucket list that I want to check off before I hang up my helmet. Not that I’m planning on going anywhere soon, but you never know how long anything will last, so I want to work toward getting to some of these races in the next few years,” Berry commented.

PARTY TIME

The fan-favorite Austin Berry Racing season kickoff party will return for 2026. It will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Tickets are on sale now, and fans can contact the team through social media for advance ticket purchases. Those in attendance are treated to a great meal, raffles, and games throughout the evening, plus music and dancing after dinner.

The team held very popular and successful parties in 2023 and 2024 with nearly 300 people attending each year. The team opted to skip the party in 2025.

“We were forced to sit out the entire second half of 2024 after an engine failure, and I just didn’t feel right having the party last year after our fans had been so generous at the 2024 kickoff, then we ended up not being able to race as much as we had planned,” Berry explained.

“We sure have had a lot of people ask about it, though, so we are looking forward to hanging out with everyone and having a good time again in January!”

Fans can keep up with Austin Berry Racing’s news, schedule, and more at the team’s website, AustinBerryRacing.com, built by the great folks at My Race Pass.

ABOUT AUSTIN BERRY

Austin started racing go-karts in 2005 in PA. In 2007, he began competing in the WKA, VDKA, and other small series in the Southeastern U.S. His career evolved to Legends cars midway through the 2011 season, and in 2012, he entered a driver development program in NC. After three seasons of Legends, Austin decided to stick to his Pennsylvania home and go dirt Super Late Model racing in 2015.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

First super late model win June 2021 at Port Royal Speedway
2019 & 2021 Most Improved Super Late Model Driver at Port Royal
2016 Selinsgrove Speedway Super Late Model Rookie of the Year

FOLLOW AUSTIN’S SEASON:

Website: AustinBerryRacing.com
Facebook: Austin Berry Racing
Instagram: Austin Berry Racing
X (Twitter): @AustinBerryRacn

THANKS TO OUR 2025 PARTNERS!

Tuscarora Restoration
Juniata Veterinary Clinic
Berry’s Siding & Seamless Gutter
Dye It Rite
SRI Performance / Stock Car Steel & Aluminum
VP Racing Fuels
Nathan Berry Beef Farm
SpeedWrapz & SW Sportswear
Carquest of State College
Fragola Performance Systems
Addicted2DirtPR.com
GO Lithium
Peterson Fluid Systems
Quick Car
Valvoline Pro-V Racing
Sweet Manufacturing
Victory Fuel
Swift Springs
Strange Oval
DMI – Diversified Machine, Inc.
Quarter Master
Hoosier Mid-Atlantic
Rocket XR1 Chassis
Cornett Racing Engines
Barron’s Racing engines
JDS Racing/Penske Racing Shocks

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Sponsorship opportunities with Austin Berry Racing are available for the 2026 season! Email us at ABRacing86@gmail.com.

ABOUT ADDICTED2DIRT PR & MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Addicted2Dirt PR and Media Management specializes in enhancing race teams’ visibility through strategic PR services. A2D offers a comprehensive range of services, from handling strategic PR initiatives like press releases and social media content to providing coaching and consulting to empower teams to manage their own public relations effectively and affordably. Whether you need A2D to manage your PR or want to learn how to do it yourself, A2D is committed to helping you build a loyal fanbase and attract marketing partners!

Visit A2DPR.com to learn more!

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Rich “MrAddicted2Dirt” Watts is a passionate fan-turned-PR expert who helps elevate racing teams’ public relations in the dirt motorsports industry. With extensive knowledge and connections, he helps teams boost visibility, grow loyal fanbases through proven strategies, and secure marketing partnerships. Rich also offers PR coaching and consulting services, plus shares his insights as a speaker and podcast guest.

To learn more or to contact Rich about an opportunity, visit MrA2D.com!

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