CONCORD, N.C. — Josh Berry has had to scratch and claw for everything that he has achieved in NASCAR racing, and that’s the way he likes it.
Berry, who spent nearly a decade racing Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s late model stock car before getting the opportunity race Xfinity Series cars for JR Motorsports after winning the 2020 NASCAR Weekly Series title, continues to learn lessons in the racing life and come out the other side.
Finding success in the Xfinity Series aboard Earnhardt’s No. 8 Chevrolet, Berry picked up some Cup Series rides last year in a substitute role with several teams, including Hendrick Motorsports.
He turned heads in that role and landed his first full-time Cup Series ride, replacing the retiring Kevin Harvick with Stewart-Haas Racing. But just as Berry was gaining traction in the series, SHR announced it was closing at the end of this season.
Berry was at another crossroads.
But on Wednesday, the high road landed him with NASCAR’s most historic team — Wood Brothers Racing. Berry will handle the famous No. 21 Ford beginning next February.
Through it all, Berry remains grateful and motivated.
“I feel like they’re getting somebody that’s not gonna quit,” Berry said. “I’ve worked way too hard at this and done it for so long that you can’t beat somebody that gives up and I’ve had to grind it out for years to get to this point, and I feel like I’ve proven myself over and over again, and I feel like I’m ready for this challenge next.”
Berry said focusing on performance has helped guide him through the tough times — not only this year — but throughout his racing career.
“I think we’ve been through this for a decade,” Berry said referring to his wife Ginny. “She’s been with me through late model racing all the way up to this change in our lives, but, really, the message throughout all that was really simple and that was to go out on the track and perform the best we can.
“I mentioned this a month ago, but it brought me back to a conversation I had with Dale Jr. last year when I was at Hendrick. He called me almost every week and talked me through all of my emotions and what I was dealing with at that time,” Berry said. He’s like, ‘Man, you’re at your best when your back is up against the wall and you have to go out and perform. That’s what makes you, you.’ I thought back to that this year with everything going on and obviously Stewart-Haas going away, that just provided us an opportunity to go out and perform.
“That was the only option, really,” Berry added. “The emotions of it, yeah, it’s difficult sometimes, but we’ve raced together and we’ve always focused on performing, whether we’re at Hickory or Martinsville or Charlotte. That’s what ultimately my character and what I bring to the race team and being able to keep these opportunities and get these opportunities is what got me here, but also performing on the race track.”
Berry, who acknowledged he has a lot yet to accomplish with Stewart-Haas Racing this season, believes he’s a good fit for Wood Brothers Racing.
“First and foremost just the history, the heritage, the family atmosphere that the Wood Brothers provide. It just really feels like a great fit for me,” Berry said. “I feel like I fit their brand and who they are and how I’ve gotten here and how they’ve gotten here. I feel like this is a great fit. I’ve really enjoyed my relationship with Ford and to continue that on was something that’s important to me and I appreciate and I’m thankful to have that opportunity.
“It just really means a lot to drive an iconic car like the 21.”