Dale Earnhardt Jr. predicts some ‘dark moments’ for Josh Berry in 2024 at SHR

Josh Berry is set to drive for the NO:4 SHR team in 2024.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. predicts some ‘dark moments’ for Josh Berry in 2024 at SHR

Josh Berry and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Via IMAGO)

Stewart Haas Racing witnessed the departure of one of the most successful drivers of their team this season with Kevin Harvick finally retiring. The 2014 Cup champion had his retirement tour and made his final start with the No:4 team at Phoenix Raceway. Along with him fellow veteran Aric Almirola also exited the team.

Josh Berry, who has been driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series for the last two seasons, will replace Harvick in the No:4 Ford. He established himself as a solid replacement after his impressive run in the Cup series as a substitute for injured HMS driver Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman for a combined nine races.

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While recently talking about how he expects his former driver to perform in his rookie season, Dale Jr. pointed out that the 33-year-old will have to go through all the dark moments a rookie will go through in the Cup series. He admitted that in some of these moments, Berry might even question his career choices.

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I’m a Josh Berry fan. Y’all know that I want that to go well. There will be some moments of struggle. There will be times when Josh Berry’s going, ‘Dude, do I have what it takes? Do I belong here? Do I have the fortitude to go forward?’ There will be some dark, dark moments in that first year. There are for every driver.
Junior said via Dale Jr. Download.                                                                            

Dale Earnhardt Jr. overlooks Josh Berry while predicting the breakout driver for 2024

During the same podcast, Junior and co-host Mike Davis discussed who might be the breakout driver in the 2024 season. He pointed out that the 2022 Xfinity Series champion has one of the best cars in the field going into the 2024 season and it gives him an edge over drivers such as Berry, Zane Smith, and John Hunter Nemechek.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr and Ty Gibbs 
I’m gonna say that next year’s breakout star, I’m gonna say that it’s Ty Gibbs. I don’t…I want to go with like a Zane Smith or you know, Josh Berry, John Hunter Nemechek but I just don’t know that the cars and the…Ty Gibbs is in a Gibbs car. Their stuff runs in the top 5 a lot and I think he’s just trying to get there.

Dale Jr. is right with his choice, as the 2023 Cup Rookie of the Year has the car and resources to chase the championship at his grandfather’s team and now has enough top-tier experience to back his skills. The other tree Junior mentioned might not have the best cars at its disposal and SHR’s recent struggles are a big worry for Berry as well.

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