It all started back in 2008 on iRacing, a racing video game. Josh Berry was a bank teller, barely making enough to race small cars at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. He messaged Dale Jr., saying, “Hey, I race a Legends car at Nashville, and I’d like to show you some of my in-car camera footage.?” Dale Jr. liked what he saw. “Man, this guy knows what he’s doing.’ I loved what I saw.’” Dale Jr. told the Charlotte Observer in 2023. That led to Berry joining JR Motorsports (JRM) in 2010 to race Late Models.
He won tons, with over 75 races, and even grabbed the 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division 1 title. Dale Jr. believed in him big time. The cheers from Josh Berry’s first NASCAR Cup Series win on March 16, 2025, in Las Vegas must be still ringing in his ears. But it’s the quiet stuff that happens after the victory that means more. Dale Earnhardt Jr., his old boss and biggest cheerleader, has been there through it all. In a heartfelt talk with Kevin Harvick, Berry shared how Dale Jr. didn’t just give him a job. He gave him a shot at his dreams and became a true friend.
Josh Berry’s got a lifetime friend in Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Driving the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing, Berry got Wood Brothers Racing their 101st victory. He caught Daniel Suarez with 19 laps left and took the lead. The crowd went wild as Berry notched up his first Cup Series win in his sophomore season, turning what people usually call a ‘sophomore slump’ into a sophomore surge.
In a conversation with Kevin Harvick on the Happy Hour podcast after the race, Berry reflected on the impact of Dale Earnhardt Jr. on his career. Harvick started by asking if Dale Jr. dropped by with beers. “No,” Berry laughed. Kevin Harvick replied, saying, “I texted him last night, and he was pumped.” Why wouldn’t he be? After all, Berry credits a lot of his career success to Dale Jr.
Berry said, “He’s just been a tremendous supporter of mine… Really from the fill-in role at HMS [Hendrick Motorsports] and going through the emotions of that and the emotions of everything at Stewart-Haas [Racing]… He’s just become a great friend of mine. He’s not against just calling me up and asking me how I’m doing… I feel like we’re closer than ever now than even when I drove for him for years. He was really excited about yesterday.”
Josh Berry’s introduction to the Cup Series was filling in for HMS’ Chase Elliott in 2023 after the latter suffered a snowboarding injury that kept him out of a few races. Then, he made his full-time debut at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024, but the team was going through a tough phase with financial issues holding them back from competing. The team eventually disbanded in 2024, which is a tough thing for any rookie driver to go through. Through all these trials and tribulations, Dale Jr. was by his side. Fittingly, Jr. was the first person he called after winning the race.
“I did FaceTime him in Victory Lane,” he told Harvick. “It was short, but he was so excited. I can’t wait to see him at his Dale Jr. Download.” Dale Jr. is very fond of him and his work ethic. Last year he posted on X: “I’m happy for Josh. It’s my belief he not only belongs in the field on Sunday, but can be a consistent winner. He’s a hard worker, a true racer, and should be a great fit for the Wood Bros.” This belief paid off big time, and Jr. always knew it would. Back in 2021, Dale Jr. even risked JRM’s money to give Berry 12 Xfinity races. “We sacrificed a lot for Josh, and it was worth it,” Junior said then.
Everyone in NASCAR was buzzing. “So proud of Josh Berry and his first Cup win! What a journey.” Kelley Earnhardt-Miller, Dale Jr.’s sister and JRM co-owner, wrote. “We’ve worked with lots of great drivers, and adding Josh to that list is huge for us.” Berry even skipped the burnout after winning as a little tribute to Dale Jr.
When Berry sits down for that Dale Jr. Download episode, it’ll be full of heart. This win isn’t just a trophy, it’s proof of a friendship that turned a dreamer into a winner. Dale Jr. gave Berry more than a chance. He gave him everything. And man, it feels awesome to see it all workout.
Josh Berry drops a heartfelt hint about a big NASCAR comeback
Josh Berry’s voice might still be shaking when he talks about his Las Vegas win. But it’s not just the trophy that’s got him emotional. Berry has let slip something huge. He might be thinking about driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports again, if the latter ever makes a move into the Cup Series! With backing from Rick Hendrick, it could be sooner than imagined that we see a JRM shop at the highest level, and Berry would be more than happy to be a part of it.
“I mean honestly, I feel like that door is definitely still open in a way. I mean we talk a lot and honestly we’ve gotten closer in the last couple years. I talk to him now more than ever.” Berry said, on being asked about his possible JRM return. That’s no small thing. Dale Earnhardt Jr. plucked Berry from obscurity back in 2010, giving a bank teller with big dreams a shot at Late Models. Now, after years of grinding, that faith paid off with a win for Wood Brothers Racing. But Berry’s not done dreaming.
For Berry, this is just the start of what promises to be an exciting Cup Series career. He is taking a WBR team that consistently finished in the bottom 20 of the standings to the playoffs in just 5 races. And this wasn’t a fluke, by any means. He finished 4th at Phoenix before Vegas and will look to keep this momentum going as the season progresses. Will he ever drive for JRM in the future? Well, for that, JRM would have to make a full-time move in the Cup Series, which is something they have been debating for a long time, despite making their first appearance at the Daytona 500 with Justin Allgaier this year.
For Berry, it’s not just about racing—it’s about family, loyalty, and proving he’s still got more to give. So, what’s next? If this hint becomes reality, we’re in for an emotional ride. Buckle up.
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