Stewart-Haas Racing comments as Josh Berry signs for 2024
Kevin Harvick is set to retire from full-time NASCAR Cup Series racing at the end of the 2023 season. The 2014 champion will end a 23-year career.
32-year-old Josh Berry is set to get an opportunity later than most. He’s been selected to drive the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 car full-time beginning in 2024.
Berry comes from the world of asphalt late models. He raced for JR Motorsports in the CARS Tour before moving into the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he’s collected five wins.
This season Berry has been a substitute driver for both Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman as those drivers suffered injuries. He picked up a 2nd place finish at Dover.
And, now he’s turned that opportunity into something more permanent.
Josh Berry comments
“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, and 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.”
“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 and 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.”
Berry on coming from Late Model Racing
“When I was racing the Late Model car, I just wanted to be the most bad-ass short-track racer that you could be, and that’s how we progressed,” Berry said.
“We won a ton of races, a national championship and a CARS Tour championship. We had a list of things that we wanted to accomplish and big races we wanted to win, and we’d go out there every time with the intent of checking things off that list.”
“I wouldn’t change anything about how I got here. It made me who I am,” Berry said. “Throughout my teenage years, it was a fight just to keep racing, to get to the next race.”
Berry raced for JR Motorsports on the CARS Tour.
“The timing of Dale and I getting together, that was crucial. If that doesn’t happen, I don’t know that I would’ve ever raced a stock car, or how much more I would’ve raced at all, just because racing overextended us financially. And when you race that way, it’s hard to set any kind of a long-term goal. But your goals just change as you grow.”
“Those years of racing and winning, and the people I was around and worked with, prepared me for the opportunities that I’ve gotten, and they’ve prepared me to capitalize on this opportunity with Stewart-Haas Racing. Even without knowing where it would ultimately take me, I’d do it all over again.”
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Gene Haas
“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 with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas.
“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.”
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Greg Zipadelli
“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.
Zipadelli added, “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, and we’re very happy that his next opportunity is with Stewart-Haas Racing.”
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Kevin Harvick
“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 Kevin 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, and 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.”
“We’re excited to have Josh (Berry) join our KHIM family,” said KHIM owner Harvick.
Harvick concluded, “I’ve watched Josh for years through the late model ranks, Xfinity Series, and Cup Series. Anything he gets in, he gives it his all. I’m excited to see what he can do next season when he moves up to the Cup Series full time.”
Harvick has currently collected 60 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series.
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