Stewart-Haas Racing confirms Josh Berry will replace Kevin Harvick
Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) announced Wednesday that Josh Berry will replace Kevin Harvick and pilot the No. 4 Ford beginning with the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
This will be Berry’s first full-time opportunity in the Cup Series, replacing Harvick, who is retiring after the 2023 season following a 23-year career. Crew chief Rodney Childers will remain atop the pit box for the No. 4 team, per Zach Sturniolo of NASCAR.com.
“We’re incredibly proud to have Josh Berry begin the next chapter of his racing career in our No. 4 Ford Mustang,” SHR co-owner Tony Stewart said in a press release. “Kevin Harvick has obviously set a very high bar. But Josh brings maturity, experience and, above all, a winning record to Stewart-Haas Racing. He is the right driver, at the right time, for the No. 4 team and our organization.”
Berry, 32, is currently in his second full-time season in the Xfinity Series. Driving the No. 8 Chevrolet for Jr. Motorsports, he sits fifth in the points standings. Berry won three races and finished fourth in the points standings in 2022.
In addition, he has appeared in eight Cup Series races this season for Hendrick Motorsports. He first piloted the No. 9 Chevrolet while Chase Elliott recovered from a broken left leg and again for three races in the No. 48 Chevrolet as Alex Bowman recovered from a fractured vertebra. Berry recorded an average finish of 18.9, finishing as high as second in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway.
Josh Berry tasked with replacing future HOF’er in Kevin Harvick
Berry will now see himself in a race car which has remained competitive with Harvick behind the wheel. Harvick has finished inside the top-10 of the points standings in 8-of-9 seasons with SHR, winning the Cup Series championship in 2014.
“This is a really special day for me and a lot of people,” Berry said. “I have to thank everyone up here sitting with me for believing in me. It’s been a fun process over the past couple of months, and I can’t imagine a better opportunity for myself. If we do the right things and stay the course, the results will come.”
Replacing a future Hall of Famer in Harvick may be a tall task, but one that SHR believes Berry is capable of doing.
“You want somebody who has the capability and the mindset of understanding not only what it takes to get to the track and what happens at the shop, but also does the rest of things that it takes to be successful,” Stewart said. “You have to put yourself in a position to win races and championships.
“[Berry] has done that work and has made the most of every opportunity he’s had.”