Josh Berry

Not to be confused with Josh Berry (comedian).

Joshua W. Berry (born October 22, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports. Berry has also competed for JRM in late model racing in both the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (in which he won its 2020 national championship) and the CARS Tour, and also works as a driver coach for the team.^[1]

Josh Berry
Berry putting on his heat shields before the 2021 In It To Win It 200
Born	Joshua W. Berry (1990-10-22) October 22, 1990 (age 32) Hendersonville, Tennessee
Achievements	2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Champion 2017 CARS Late Model Stock Tour Champion 2019 ValleyStar Credit Union 300 Winner 2021 Hampton Heat 200 Winner 2017 Myrtle Beach 400 Winner 2017 Bobby Isaac Memorial Winner 2016, 2018, 2021 Throwback 276 Winner (LMSC) 2016 Fall Brawl Winner (LMSC) 2021, 2022 Thanksgiving All-Star Classic 150 Winner 2022 IceBreaker 125 Winner
NASCAR Cup Series career
2 races run over 1 year
2021 position	60th
Best finish	60th (2021)
First race	2021 Drydene 400 (Dover)
Last race	2021 FireKeepers Casino 400 (Michigan)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
62 races run over 6 years
Car no., team	No. 8 (JR Motorsports)
2022 position	4th
Best finish	4th (2022)
First race	2014 U.S. Cellular 250 (Iowa)
Last race	2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race (Phoenix)
First win	2021 Cook Out 250 (Martinsville)
Last win	2022 Alsco Uniforms 300 (Las Vegas)
Wins Top tens Poles 5 34 1
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
11 races run over 2 years
2021 position	102nd
Best finish	92nd (2016)
First race	2016 American Ethanol E15 225 (Chicagoland)
Last race	2021 United Rentals 200 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 1 0
ARCA Menards Series career
2 races run over 2 years
ARCA no., team	No. 17 (McGowan Motorsports)
Best finish	74th (2018)
First race	2018 Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 (Salem)
Last race	2022 General Tire 150 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 2 0
ARCA Menards Series East career
4 races run over 3 years
Best finish	31st (2019)
First race	2014 Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 (Greenville)
Last race	2021 General Tire 125 (Dover)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 2 0
ARCA Menards Series West career
1 race run over 1 year
ARCA West no., team	No. 17 (McGowan Motorsports)
First race	2022 General Tire 150 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 1 0
Statistics current as of July 16, 2022.

Racing career

Early career and late model racing

Berry met his future car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008 when competing in an online sim racing league called DMP Online Racing. At the time, he was Legends car racing at his home track of Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville while also attending Volunteer State Community College and working as a bank teller to fund his racing career. Earnhardt Jr. then signed Berry to his JR Motorsports team in 2010 to compete in late model racing.^[2]

At the 2015 Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, Berry spun Lee Pulliam while racing him and Timothy Peters for the lead on the final lap; Berry was moved down to 17th in the running order and drew criticism from Pulliam, who called Berry "the biggest joke in racing."^[3] After being spun by Bobby McCarty in CARS Tour at Motor Mile Speedway in 2019 and Ace Speedway in 2020, both times when Berry was leading the race, Berry intentionally wrecked McCarty later in the Ace Speedway race, resulting in a one-race suspension.^[4] Berry ditched a planned CARS schedule and instead focused on the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, winning 24 races en route to a national championship.^[5]

NASCAR and ARCA

2014–2020

Berry's first NASCAR Xfinity Series race came at Iowa Speedway, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports. He started tenth and finished twelfth, finishing on the lead lap.^[6] He returned to the 5 car for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, again logging a lead-lap finish in 25th. He finished his debut season 50th in points. He returned to JR Motorsports for one race in 2015, finishing seventh at Richmond International Raceway. In 2016, his first race of the season was at Iowa, where he finished ninth in the No. 88 for JR Motorsports. He returned to that car in the first race of the Xfinity Series Chase, at Kentucky Speedway and ended up finishing 13th.^[7] Berry also made one start for Obaika Racing, finishing 27th at Darlington Raceway.^[8] Berry also debuted in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series during the 2016 season, driving the No. 71 Contreras Motorsports truck to a 13th-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway.

In 2017, Berry made his first Xfinity Series start of the season, attempting the Kansas race for newly-formed NextGen Motorsports, driving their No. 55 Toyota.^[9] After qualifying 33rd, he finished 34th after suffering an engine failure on lap 182.^[10]

In 2018, Berry made his debut in the ARCA Racing Series, driving for Chad Bryant Racing in their No. 22 Ford at Salem Speedway in April of that year, finishing 4th. In 2019, he drove for Visconti Motorsports and finished 3rd in their No. 74 car in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at New Hampshire in September, which was his first start in that series. These were his only starts in NASCAR or ARCA in both of these years.

2021

 

Berry in the No. 02 truck for Young's Motorsports at Atlanta in 2021

 

Berry (No. 8) racing Daniel Hemric (No. 18) and Jeb Burton (No. 10) at Atlanta in March 2021

On October 22, 2020, JR Motorsports announced that it had scheduled Berry to drive its No. 8 car for 12 races in the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.^[11] At Phoenix Raceway, Berry was turned by Santino Ferrucci, prompting him to give Ferrucci double middle fingers as he drove by.^[12] He recorded his first Xfinity win at Martinsville upon passing Ty Gibbs for the lead with 28 laps remaining; Berry was the fifth driver to win his maiden race in the series at Martinsville alongside Sam Ard (1982), Brett Bodine (1985), Brad Teague (1987) and Jeff Burton (1990).^[13]

In March, Berry returned to the Truck Series for the first time since 2016. He substituted for Kris Wright in the No. 02 for Young's Motorsports after Wright tested positive for COVID-19.^[14]

In May, Berry made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway, substituting for Justin Haley in the Spire Motorsports No. 77 car after Haley was sidelined by COVID-19 protocols,^[15] marking the second time that Berry was called on to fill in for a driver that had to miss a race because of COVID-19. He also drove in his second ARCA Menards Series East (formerly NASCAR K&N Pro Series East) race that weekend in the No. 41 for Cook-Finley Racing, which meant that he did triple duty that weekend at Dover. On May 26, it was announced that Berry would get to compete in the Xfinity Series race at Mid-Ohio road course in the No. 31 for Jordan Anderson Racing. Miguel Paludo was driving Berry's normal car, the No. 8 for JR Motorsports, in this race.^[16]

Another Truck return came in June in the No. 25 of Rackley WAR for three races at Texas, Nashville, and Pocono after the departure of Timothy Peters.^[17] A month later, he rejoined JRM for the Xfinity race at Loudon in the No. 1 after Michael Annett suffered a leg injury.^[18]

On August 16, Berry was confirmed to drive the No. 8 for JR Motorsports full time in 2022.^[19] Later in the week, he filled in for Spire's other Cup driver Corey LaJoie at Michigan when LaJoie was not allowed to compete due to COVID-19 protocols.^[20] When Annett was re-injured in September, Berry once again took over as replacement at Bristol and Las Vegas, and he won the latter after passing teammate Justin Allgaier with under 20 laps to go.^[21]

2022

Berry began the 2022 season with a 16th place finish at Daytona. He scored wins at Dover and Charlotte to make the playoffs. During the playoffs, Berry won at Las Vegas to make the Championship 4.^[22]

Personal life

Berry worked as a bank teller before his racing career provided a steady income.^[23] He is a graduate of Volunteer State Community College.^[2] Berry is a former classmate of IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden in the 7th and 8th grades.^[24]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	NCSC	Pts	Ref
2021	Spire Motorsports	77	Chevy	DAY	DRC	HOM	LVS	PHO	ATL	BRD	MAR	RCH	TAL	KAN	DAR	DOV 30	COA	CLT	SON	NSH	POC	POC	ROA	ATL	NHA	GLN	IRC													60th	0^1	^[25]
		7																										MCH 26	DAY	DAR	RCH	BRI	LVS	TAL	ROV	TEX	KAN	MAR	PHO

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	NXSC	Pts	Ref
2014	JR Motorsports	5	Chevy	DAY	PHO	LVS	BRI	CAL	TEX	DAR	RCH	TAL	IOW	CLT	DOV	MCH	ROA	KEN	DAY	NHA	CHI	IND	IOW 12	GLN	MOH	BRI	ATL	RCH	CHI	KEN	DOV	KAN	CLT	TEX	PHO	HOM 25	50th	51	^[26]
2015		88		DAY	ATL	LVS	PHO	CAL	TEX	BRI	RCH	TAL	IOW	CLT	DOV	MCH	CHI	DAY	KEN	NHA	IND	IOW	GLN	MOH	BRI	ROA	DAR	RCH 7	CHI	KEN	DOV	CLT	KAN	TEX	PHO	HOM	60th	37	^[27]
2016				DAY	ATL	LVS	PHO	CAL	TEX	BRI	RCH	TAL	DOV	CLT	POC	MCH	IOW	DAY	KEN	NHA	IND	IOW 9	GLN	MOH	BRI	ROA				KEN 13	DOV	CLT	KAN	TEX	PHO	HOM	41st	74	^[28]
	Obaika Racing	97	Chevy																								DAR 27	RCH	CHI
2017	NextGen Motorsports	55	Toyota	DAY	ATL	LVS	PHO	CAL	TEX	BRI	RCH	TAL	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	IOW	DAY	KEN	NHA	IND	IOW	GLN	MOH	BRI	ROA	DAR	RCH	CHI	KEN	DOV	CLT	KAN 34	TEX	PHO	HOM	80th	3	^[29]
2021	JR Motorsports	8	Chevy	DAY 27	DRC	HOM 10	LVS 7	PHO 36	ATL 38	MAR 1*	TAL 31	DAR 2	DOV 2	COA	CLT 32		TEX 19	NSH 4																			17th	540	^[30]
	Jordan Anderson Racing	31	Chevy													MOH 8			POC 9	ROA	ATL 23							RCH 24							MAR 28	PHO
	JR Motorsports	1	Chevy																			NHA 8	GLN	IRC	MCH 4	DAY	DAR		BRI 35	LVS 1	TAL 9	ROV	TEX	KAN
2022		8		DAY 16	CAL 4	LVS 4	PHO 3	ATL 33	COA 27	RCH 7	MAR 19	TAL 11	DOV 1	DAR 18	TEX 7*	CLT 1*	PIR 4	NSH 29	ROA 3	ATL 2	NHA 31	POC 3	IRC 14	MCH 6	GLN 9	DAY 18	DAR 8	KAN 7	BRI 7	TEX 6	TAL 5	ROV 8	LVS 1	HOM 11	MAR 20	PHO 13	4th	4024	^[31]
2023				DAY	CAL	LVS	PHO	ATL	COA	RCH	MAR	TAL	DOV	DAR	CLT	PIR	SON	NSH	CSC	ATL	NHA	POC	ROA	MCH	IRC	GLN	DAY	DAR	KAN	BRI	TEX	ROV	LVS	HOM	MAR	PHO	-	-

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	NCWTC	Pts	Ref
2016	Contreras Motorsports	71	Chevy	DAY	ATL	MAR	KAN	DOV	CLT	TEX	IOW	GTW	KEN	ELD	POC	BRI	MCH	MSP	CHI 13	NHA	LVS	TAL	MAR	TEX	PHO	HOM	92nd	0^1	^[32]
2021	Young's Motorsports	02	Chevy	DAY	DRC	LVS	ATL 22	BRD	RCH	KAN	DAR	COA	CLT														102nd	0^1	^[33]
	Rackley WAR	25	Chevy											TEX 10	NSH 19	POC 11	KNX 28	GLN 11	GTW 15	DAR 17	BRI 11	LVS	TAL	MAR 28	PHO

ARCA Menards Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Racing Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	ARSC	Pts	Ref
2018	Chad Bryant Racing	22	Ford	DAY	NSH	SLM 4	TAL	TOL	CLT	POC	MCH	MAD	GTW	CHI	IOW	ELK	POC	ISF	BLN	DSF	SLM	IRP	KAN	74th	215	^[34]
2022	McGowan Motorsports	17w	Chevy	DAY	PHO 8	TAL	KAN	CLT	IOW	BLN	ELK	MOH	POC	IRP	MCH	GLN	ISF	MLW	DSF	KAN	BRI	SLM	TOL	80th	36	^[35]

ARCA Menards Series East

ARCA Menards Series East results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	AMSEC	Pts	Ref
2014	Darin Odle	45	Ford	NSM	DAY	BRI	GRE 24	RCH 17	IOW	BGS	FIF	LGY	NHA	COL	IOW	GLN	VIR	GRE	DOV	47th	47	^[36]
2019	Visconti Motorsports	74	Chevy	NSM	BRI	SBO	SBO	MEM	NHA	IOW	GLN	BRI	GTW	NHA 3	DOV					31st	41	^[37]
2021	Cook-Finley Racing	41	Chevy	NSM	FIF	NSV	DOV 2	SNM	IOW	MLW	BRI									33rd	42	^[38]

ARCA Menards Series West

ARCA Menards Series West results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	AMSWC	Pts	Ref
2022	McGowan Motorsports	17w	Chevy	PHO 8	IRW	KCR	PIR	SON	IRW	EVG	PIR	AAS	LVS	PHO	-*	-*	^[39]

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

References

1. "255 - Amy Earnhardt: Maximum Security". Player FM. Dirty Mo Media. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
2. Organ, Mike (May 13, 2021). "How Josh Berry went from Hendersonville bank teller to driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to making NASCAR Cup debut". The Tennessean. USA Today. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
3. Long, Dustin (April 23, 2015). "Timothy Peters wins Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown after last-lap fireworks". NBC Sports. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
4. Weaver, Matt (June 9, 2020). "CARS Tour suspends Josh Berry for intentionally crashing Bobby McCarty". Short Track Scene. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
5. Marquis, Andy (October 18, 2020). "Josh Berry Lays Claim to National Championship with SNMP Sweep". Short Track Scene. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
6. "2014 U.S. Cellular 250 - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2016-07-31.
7. "Berry ready to make most of opportunity at Iowa". Retrieved 2016-07-31.
8. "2016 VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2016-09-17.
9. "NextGen & March Networks Support Disaster Relief". Speed Sport. October 20, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
10. "2017 Kansas Lottery 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
11. Rutherford, Kevin (October 22, 2020). "Josh Berry Running Part Time for JR Motorsports in Xfinity in 2021". Frontstretch. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
12. Estrada, Chris (March 20, 2021). "Josh Berry aims to keep emotions in check, focus on winning". NBC Sports. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
13. "Josh Berry wins at Martinsville for 1st career Xfinity victory". ESPN.com. ESPN. AP. April 11, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
14. Estrada, Chris (March 19, 2021). "Truck Series driver Kris Wright tests positive for COVID-19". NBC Sports. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
15. "Justin Haley out at Dover due to COVID-19 protocols; Josh Berry, Zane Smith to sub". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 14, 2021.
16. "Josh Berry Running for Jordan Anderson Racing at Mid-Ohio". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
17. Walls, Dave (June 4, 2021). "Timothy Peters leaves Rackley WAR NASCAR Trucks team; Josh Berry steps in". WSET-TV. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
18. Utter, Jim (July 12, 2021). "Michael Annett to have surgery, could miss Xfinity playoffs". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
19. Estrada, Chris (August 16, 2021). "Josh Berry lands full-time 2022 Xfinity ride with JR Motorsports". NBC Sports. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
20. "Corey LaJoie out at Michigan due to COVID-19 protocols; Josh Berry to sub". NASCAR. August 19, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
21. "Josh Berry beats teammate Allgaier in JRM sweep at Las Vegas". USA Today. AP. September 25, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
22. "Josh Berry wins at Las Vegas, punches ticket to Championship 4". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. October 15, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
23. "320 - Chase Briscoe & Josh Berry: Defying the Odds". Radio.com. Dirty Mo Media. October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
24. "The Dale Jr. Download". Dirty Mo Media. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
25. "Josh Berry – 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
26. "Josh Berry – 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
27. "Josh Berry – 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
28. "Josh Berry – 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
29. "Josh Berry – 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
30. "Josh Berry – 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
31. "Josh Berry – 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
32. "Josh Berry – 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
33. "Josh Berry – 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
34. "Josh Berry – 2018 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
35. "Josh Berry – 2022 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
36. "Josh Berry – 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
37. "Josh Berry – 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
38. "Josh Berry – 2021 ARCA Menards Series East Results". Racing Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
39. "Josh Berry – 2022 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 12, 2022.

External links

• Official website
• Josh Berry driver statistics at Racing-Reference
• Josh Berry career summary at DriverDB.com