"He gave me a life-changing opportunity": Josh Berry expresses gratitude to Dale Earnhardt Jr amid uncertain future with SHR exit

As he faces uncertainty around his NASCAR Cup Series future, Cup rookie Josh Berry has expressed his gratitude towards former boss Dale Earnhardt Jr. Berry's team Stewart-Haas Racing is set to sell three of its four Cup charters next season.

Not often fans see a 33-year-old driver being called a rookie in NASCAR, but this is the case with former JR Motorsports driver Josh Berry. A driver who has been around the NASCAR circuit for nearly a decade, it wasn't until 2022 that Berry secured his first full-time ride.

After competing in 12 races for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Xfinity Series outfit JR Motorsports, and numerous Truck Series appearances, Berry signed a multi-year contract with JRM in 2022. He went on to secure a Championship 4 field spot in his maiden campaign.

2023 saw Josh Berry reach further heights. Alongside his Xfinity Series duties with JRM, he drove in 10 Cup races — five as a replacement for an injured Chase Elliott, three for an injured Alex Bowman, and then two for Legacy Motor Club after the release of Noah Gragson.

After signing for Stewart-Haas Racing in the Cup Series at the end of 2023, Berry had big shoes to fill – Kevin Harvick's. Harvick retired at the end of the campaign, and the Tony Stewart-owned outfit turned to Josh Berry as their new No. 4 Ford driver.

However, things haven't gone as per plans for the 33-year-old. An underwhelming start to the season finds him in 19th position as the playoff approaches thick and fast. Adding to his troubles, Berry faces uncertainty surrounding his future as Stewart-Haas Racing has announced the sale of three of its four charters next season.

Amid the turmoil, the Hendersonville, Tennessee native recently spoke to Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass, where he addressed his stint with JR Motorsports. Speaking about Dale Earnhardt Jr., the Cup Series driver said:

"He's just been such a big supporter of mine. He gave me a life-changing opportunity to move to North Carolina and drive his late models. To go through that and then work together and race with him as much as I did, it means a lot to have his support."

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Josh Berry on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s unwavering support

Berry’s gratitude extends beyond professional opportunities to personal support. He reminisced about Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s consistent encouragement, particularly during challenging times. The 33-year-old added (via the aforementioned source):

"Obviously, he's done a lot for me, but he's been a great friend for me. Thinking back to last year and the HMS opportunity, he was calling me a couple of times a week just checking in on me, pumping me up or just talking to me about everything and now that's kind of coming back with all this going on."

This support has been crucial for Josh Berry as he navigates the uncertain waters at SHR. He continued:

"You find out so much about people when things get hard and the type of people they are. Dealing with all this going on, he does not hesitate to reach out to me and ask how I'm doing, if I need help or whatever and it just really shows you the character that he has."

Josh Berry has 357 points to his name, courtesy of his two top-5 finishes this season. He is 263 points behind the playoff cutline.