NASCAR
Josh Berry Named to be Next Driver of Stewart-Haas No. 4
CONCORD, N.C. – One of the most high profile open seats in the NASCAR Cup Series has now been filled. Stewart-Haas Racing has named Josh Berry as the new the driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang for the 2024 NASCAR season. Berry fills the vacancy left by the retiring Kevin Harvick, whose 23-year Cup Series career will close after this season.
“I can’t imagine a better opportunity for me – to get in a car that’s been as successful and iconic as the No. 4,” Berry said. “Kevin is a future NASCAR Hall of Famer. 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.”
Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers have combined for 37 points-paying wins since they teamed up in 2014. That first year was magic out of the gate for the 4, winning the 2014 Cup Series title.
“We’re incredibly proud to have Josh Berry begin the next chapter of his racing career in our No. 4 Ford Mustang,” said Tony Stewart, co-owner of SHR. “Kevin Harvick has obviously set a very high bar, but Josh brings maturity, experience and, above all, a winning record to Stewart-Haas Racing. He is the right driver, at the right time, for the No. 4 team and our organization.”
Berry will be graduating from the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he currently races the No. 8 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. The 32-year-old Hendersonville, Tennessee native is a five-time Xfinity winner, who also made the Championship 4 in 2022.
Berry’s Xfinity successes have made him a super-sub this season for sidelined Cup drivers. He already has 10 Cup Series starts in 2023. This limited schedule is highlighted by a runner-up result on April 2nd at Richmond. That day Berry was driving in relief of the injured Chase Elliott.
“Josh Berry has proven himself in the Xfinity Series and this year showed how quickly he can adapt to the cars and the level of competition in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Greg Zipadelli, chief competition officer, SHR. “He’ll be a rookie in our racecar next year, but he drives like a veteran. He puts in the work to ensure that he’s always ready for the opportunities that come his way. We’re very happy that his next opportunity is with Stewart-Haas Racing.”
Berry’s Fast-Track Path to Cup
Berry’s racing career began in Legends Cars around his home track Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville, racking up championships as a teenager. The young star caught the eye of Dale Earnhardt Jr. through iRacing. Earnhardt would put Berry in a late model for over a decade’s worth of on-track success. Some of Berry’s late model accolades include the 2017 CARS Late Model Stock Tour championship and the 2020 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series title.
Earnhardt rewarded Berry for the 2020 title with select Xfinity starts in 2021, where he won at Martinsville Speedway. Berry eventually was given a full-time ride for 2022, winning three times and finishing fourth in the championship. For 2023, Berry is in the midst of trying to surpass his banner year.
“I’m really proud of how I’ve gotten to this point and earned this opportunity,” Berry said. “I don’t like to use the word luck. It’s also been about preparation meeting opportunity.
“The Xfinity Series win at Martinsville changed my career. That allowed us to point toward a full-time season for 2022 where we competed for the championship.
“It’s also been very meaningful to get some opportunities in the Cup Series this year. I’m proud of how they went. But I cannot wait to drive a Cup car that’s got my name on it.”
After being a substitute for elite-level teams, Berry finally gets his own ride for 2024. The keys are being handed to Berry by Kevin Harvick, who came from a similar short track upbringing.
“Late Model racing is where I came from, and I think it’s the best place to learn and prepare to eventually race in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Harvick. “Josh is a really good example, and probably the best and most recent example, of applying all that he’s learned in Late Models to what he’s doing in the Xfinity Series.
“Winning the CARS Late Model Stock Tour championship and the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series championship requires a lot of skill and an equal amount of determination. Josh did both and won a lot of races along the way. That experience allowed him to be fast and successful right off the bat when he got to the Xfinity Series. When he had his opportunities to race in the Cup Series earlier this year, he again showed speed and an ability to race at the front.
“I’m very happy for Josh and proud to see him get this opportunity. He’s going to be a really good fit with Rodney and the No. 4 team.”
In May, Harvick bought into the CARS Late Model Stock Tour alongside Earnhardt, Jeff Burton and Justin Marks. This is the same series Berry competed in from 2015 through 2022, winning 22 races and the 2017 title.
Berry will be 33 years old when the 2024 season begins. He will be one of the oldest Cup Series rookies in recent memory. His years of experience racing a wide variety of cars should pay off though. At the time of this writing, the No. 4 team is currently top-five in points and contending for wins regularly. While it may take awhile for Berry to mature into a Cup Series winner, he has shown great promise already. It will be a treat to watch the new face of the No. 4 Ford Mustang wheel it for years to come.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Stewart-Haas Racing
