Dale Earnhardt Jr. admits he cried after Josh Berry’s big NASCAR break
Dae Jr. designed Josh Berry’s path to the NASCAR Cup series to an extent.
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Josh Berry (Credits motorsports.com) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Credits IMAGOUSA Today)
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a proud mentor when his driver Josh Berry was announced as the replacement for Kevin Harvick. When he retires, Berry will take over the No:4 car from the 2014 Cup champion in 2024. He will make his full-time Cup debut at 33, while Harvick will make his full-time analyst debut with Fox.
Dale Jr. has been the most significant individual in Josh Berry’s career and played a huge role in getting him the opportunity he deserves. The JRM co-owner discovered Josh Berry, who ran part-time in the ARCA and Xfinity series, in IRacing. He decided to give the Bank teller-turned-racer a track test which Berry passed. Jr hired him to drive for him in the late model series that saw his tracking up wins over 100.
He was impressive in the Xfinity series when he was given a full-time seat, scoring multiple wins and playoff entries, including the in-final for access last season. But one moment still resonates with Dale Jr. more than anything. It’s when Berry scored his first Xfinity with JRM at Martinsville on his 13th start for them. The team owner became so emotional that he admitted that he cried.
“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…I cried like if he was my brother. It’s hard to describe the emotion, but it was incredible,” Dale Jr. said.
Josh Berry reveals the important role Dale Jr played in his career
Josh Berry, during his SHR announcement, pointed out that the timing of him and Dale Jr. getting together was crucial. He added that If they didn’t meet, his Stock car racing career might have remained a dream since his financial status constrained him.
“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,” Berry said.
He added that working with different personalities in NASCAR roots helped him to be prepared for the big moment he will have with SHR right now. Berry said that if he gets the opportunity to live the same life again with no promises of a similar outcome, he will still take it.
“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,” Berry added.
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Justin P Joy
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