A lot of the time in modern motorsports, talent doesn’t beat huge pockets. In the case of Josh Berry, talent has won out. The 30-year old, who has driven on a part-time basis in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season with JR Motorsports and Jordan Anderson Racing, will officially go full-time for JR Motorsports in the No. 8 machine for the 2022 season.
JR Motorsports made the announcement via a press release on Monday.
Team owner, and friend, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is excited to see what the future holds for Berry.
“This moment is something we’ve been working toward for a long time,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr., JRM team owner. “Josh took full advantage of the opportunity he had this year in the No. 8 car. He went out, raced hard, and earned every bit of this. With all he’s accomplished on a limited schedule, I can’t wait to see what he can do in this series full time.”
For Berry, he can’t muster words as far as the announcement goes. For a local guy like him to work his way all the way to a full-time NASCAR National Series spot, is unfathomable.
“It’s difficult to put into words what this means,” said Berry, who has made 23 career NXS starts since 2014. “I’m just a local short track racer, so saying this is a dream come true seems like an understatement. I’m so grateful to Dale, Kelley, L.W. [Miller] and everyone at JR Motorsports. They have always believed in me. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m ready and focused on 2022.”
Berry captured the hearts of racing fans in 2021, as he went from a local short track warrior, who was given a chance to drive some NASCAR Xfinity Series races for JR Motorsports, to being a consistent threat to win races and even making good on that threat at Martinsville Speedway, where he scored his first-career NASCAR Xfinity Series win.
Berry has a win, four top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes through 23 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts in 2021. The driver from Tennessee has also made six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts this season, and he was even called up by Spire Motorsports to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Dover, while Justin Haley sat out due to COVID protocols.
Additional details for Berry’s full-time run, including sponsorship and crew chief, will be announced at a later date.
