A few days after the official start of the 2023 Cup Series season, worrying news emerged from the Hendrick Motorsports office. Star driver Chase Elliott had fractured his bones in a snowboarding accident and was to be out for more than a few race weekends. A JR Motorsports driver from the Xfinity Series with only two prior Cup Series starts was tasked with taking over the No. 9 car in his absence.
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There began Josh Berry’s journey in the premier tier of stock car racing. He drove the car for five races that season and secured a tenth-place finish and a runner-up finish. Both these results were on short tracks in Phoenix and Richmond and were reflective of his image as an expert driver on such track types. His performances drew the attention of the men in the high towers.
Among them was Tony Stewart, the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing. Smoke was in the search for a replacement for Kevin Harvick’s iconic No. 4 Ford Mustang at the time, and Berry came across as a valid candidate. Meetings with the crew chief Rodney Childers and others resulted in a positive outcome, and the driver was determined as the successor to the 2014 champion.
He said in a team release that announced his contract, “It’s going to be a challenge trying to come after someone so successful. But I know I’m going to have an amazing group of people around me, led by Rodney Childers, to where we can hit the ground running.” Unfortunately, the excitement was short-lived, and 2024 became a season of highs and lows for him.
Berry keeps his Cup Series dreams alive following a massive setback.
By July, it was confirmed that Stewart-Haas Racing was going to shut its doors permanently at the end of the season. This left hundreds of employees, including Berry, without a place to call home.
The one positive factor was that the closure announcement came at a time when he was just beginning to find his groove on the race track. It helped him find a new seat for 2025.
He picked up four top-10 finishes and two top-5 finishes throughout the year. Victory Lane went by him in the narrowest of gaps on multiple occasions. But his caliber was proven enough to warrant a seat with Wood Brothers Racing, the oldest Cup Series team that is currently active.
The 33-year-old will pilot the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse next year and aim to give the team its 100th win in the series. And so, his journey continues under a prestigious banner after a roller coaster ride. He hopes to find some calm winds next season through which he can fulfill his potential.
