The story of Josh Berry’s rise through the NASCAR ranks is well documented. After meeting future team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. in an online sim racing league in 2008, Earnhardt eventually signed Berry to pilot a JR Motorsports late model.
From there, the duo was nearly unstoppable in the late model ranks. For more than a decade, Berry and JRM tore up local short tracks across the southeast, claiming countless victories and track titles.
Championships in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (2020) and CARS Late Model Stock Tour (2017) were the pinnacle of their efforts.
“I enjoy that late model program being a success, winning races. Josh was a big part of that,” Earnhardt said. “He helped build that program into what it is today. We won over 100 feature races and multiple track championships and the national title.
“Won all the big races at Martinsville (Va.) and everywhere you could think of.”
While the success was massive, having Berry vault to one of NASCAR’s three national touring series wasn’t a viable option.
Between 2014-’17, Berry made select NASCAR Xfinity Series starts for JRM and other race teams without much avail.
Despite promising results in his infrequent NASCAR starts, late model racing remained Berry’s main gig.
“We always knew in the back of our minds that might just be his legacy,” Earnhardt admitted.
That all changed in 2021 when JRM expanded Berry’s role in the Xfinity Series on a larger part-time basis.
“We found ourselves in a position to give him some opportunities in our Xfinity car,” Earnhardt said. “That was basically like, ‘Hey, here’s like a very meager chance to show what you can do. Go out there and you have to make it happen.’
“We don’t know whether this is all we’ll be able to allow.”
In his sixth start that season, Berry dominated at Martinsville Speedway en route to his first career Xfinity Series victory, one that moved Earnhardt to tears.
“I mean, I cried like if he was my brother,” Earnhardt admitted. “It’s hard to describe the emotion, but it was incredible.”
Later that year, Berry was tapped to wheel the No. 8 Chevrolet for JRM full time in 2022 — a move that catapulted him to NASCAR stardom.
Three wins and a Championship Four appearance last year backed up JRM’s decision, one that Earnhardt takes pride in.
“So since then we’ve continued to, because of his on-track success, draw more support and interest in his career,” Earnhardt said. “We’ve gotten new partners and sponsors that want to get behind this Josh Berry thing.
“It took a lot of work and a lot of effort of staying after it. But I feel like it’s paying off.”
This season, in addition to his full-time gig in the Xfinity Series, Berry was tasked to fill-in for injured Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman.
Berry proved to be up for the challenge, earning an eye-opening runner-up finish at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, along with two additional top 10 finishes.
Berry’s star has risen even further after Wednesday’s announcement that the 32-year-old Tennessee native will replace retiring Kevin Harvick with Stewart-Haas Racing next season.
While losing Berry is bittersweet for the JRM team, Earnhardt spoke highly of what separates Berry from the pack.
“What a team will get when they sign Josh Berry to a Cup deal is a driver with great race craft and a turn-key winner,” Earnhardt said. “Whereas it’s incredible and a great opportunity to sign a young driver that will develop into a champion, I believe you get to skip those years of development with a guy like Josh, and you get right into working on the championship part and winning races because he’s there mentally, professionally and in talent.”
Coming from a late model background himself, Earnhardt believes Berry’s success story is a ray of optimism for young racers wanting to make it big in stock cars with the right pieces in place.
“It’s just incredible to imagine that he’s getting interest, going to get an opportunity. It’s a dream come true for him,” Earnhardt said. “Think about all the other local short-track racers that look at that path that he took and think that there’s a real chance for them, too, if they shine.
“If they get a big enough light shone on them in front of the right person or the right people, they’ll find the support they need to get to the next level. The path still exists.”