Did Josh Berry use his father’s money to buy Kevin Harvick’s NASCAR Cup ride?
Josh Berry will be 33 when he debuts in NASCAR Cup Series full-time.
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Kevin Harvick (Credits Mlive.com) and Josh Berry (Credits shorttarckscene.com)
Stewart Hass Racing on Wednesday announced that Junior Motorsports Xfinity series driver Josh Berry would take over the No:4 car from Kevin Harvick, who will retire at the end of the 2023 season. Berry joining the Ford garage has ended all the speculation over who will be the successor of the 2014 Cup champion in the premier division.
Over the years, NASCAR has become a money game where it is hard for even proven talents to reach the top without significant investments. Recently NASCAR has witnessed a flock of young drivers getting competitive rides even before establishing themselves as worthy of them mainly due to the fortune of their parents. Josh Berry, on the other hand, is one of the few drivers who made it to the top solely because of his talents.
SHR co-owner and NASCAR legend Tony Stewart addressed this situation and pointed out that Berry got to the cup purely based on talents, unlike the young driver who got to the top with their dad’s money. He added that working hard to get to the top makes it more worthwhile, and the journey to the top breeds championship-worthy drivers.
“I’m not interested in some kid’s father coming in and buying their way into a (NASCAR) Cup Series ride. I have zero interest in that. We want guys that earn their way, that work hard, that understand the values that it takes to be a top-tier driver. Not one that just got his high school diploma, and now all of a sudden he’s a Cup driver,” Tony Stewart said.
“Josh has put in the time, the effort, and every time he’s gotten an opportunity; he’s made the most of it. That’s the traits that championship drivers are built off of; not the easy ticket to get there,” Stewart added.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. is convinced that Josh Berry deserves the Cup ride
Dale Jr. changed Berry’s career when he discovered him in iRacing a few years ago. After testing him more on the track, the NASCAR legend was convinced Berry deserved a shot and gave his first opportunity in the Late Model Series with JRM. He then gave him an opportunity in the Xfinity Series with his team and helped to get Cup starts in 2022 with Spire and in 2023 with HMS.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was among the few over the moon after receiving the news about Berry’s Cup entry. The overjoyed team owner pointed out that Berry deserves his Cuyp shot, and it was a long time coming.
“It’s been a long time coming. He’s definitely good enough and talented enough for an opportunity like this. I couldn’t imagine a better pairing than him with (crew chief) Rodney (Childers),” Dale Jr. said.
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Justin P Joy
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