‘Confident’ Josh Berry Drops Cryptic Cup Series Message Moments After Gene Haas’ SHR Charter Retention

When Kevin Harvick departed from Stewart-Haas Racing at the end of 2023, the #4 garage was already in dire straits. Having gone winless in 2023 under the veteran, the pressure shifted to his replacement, Josh Berry, to take the #4 back to winning ways. Yet, before Berry could even properly settle, he was brought before the dilemma of finding a different seat for 2025 after Tony Stewart called it quits. Fortunately, not all is bleak.

On the 20th of June, Tony Stewart’s partner at SHR, Gene Haas, announced his commitment to NASCAR has not changed. Although the four charters at SHR were being sold off, Haas revealed that his side would retain one charter. This has opened up another probable option for Josh Berry for the next season, giving him a boost.

But will Gene Haas retain Josh Berry at Stewart-Haas Racing?

As things stand, Josh Berry was all set to bid farewell to Stewart Haas Racing at the end of the season. Driving the #4 throughout 2024, Berry has brought home three top-tens and one top-five. Still, the #4 driver could fall victim to circumstances and be out of a full-time seat in 2025. For Berry, the most probable options for a seat next season have been teams like Wood Brothers Racing, RFK Racing, and even RCR.

However, the 33-year-old shared a few words that showcased rejuvenated confidence after Haas’ charter retention statement. Berry stated, “I feel way better now than maybe I did a couple of weeks ago.” 

The driver needs to be a bit careful, though, because Cole Custer is in the picture. In a tweet from Bob Pockrass, the insider revealed, “Gene Haas will retain one SHR charter for the new entity: Haas Factory Team. It will also have a two-car Xfinity program. Will operate out of current SHR facility. Joe Custer will run the operation. No mention of drivers, sponsors, or manufacturers in a news release.”

With Joe Custer leading the operation, many believe it almost certainly means that Cole Custer will be promoted to the Cup Series by Gene Haas and Co. Even Cole sounded happy and confident about the Haas Factory Team as he was heard saying on Friday afternoon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that “it would be a dream come true to run that Cup car.”

SHR currently has Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson, Josh Berry, and Ryan Preece in the Cup Series. On the other hand, Cole Custer and Riley Herbst drive for the team in the Xfinity Series.

So far this season, Berry has done everything in his power to prove he deserves a full-time seat in the Cup Series. Just take last weekend at Iowa Speedway, for example, where Berry brought in the most points after race-winner Ryan Blaney. If not for a check-up by Ricky Stenhouse Jr, the #4 SHR driver could’ve taken SHR to victory lane.

Naturally, it’s safe to say Gene Haas’ commitment to NASCAR could end up being Josh Berry’s saving grace. That being said, it’s also worth looking at the former SHR boss’s intentions for the Haas Factory Team.

Is Gene Haas in it to win or is the retention solely to promote his other conquests?

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When Tony Stewart called it quits on Stewart-Haas Racing, nearly every NASCAR fan also expected Gene Haas to exit with him. The business tycoon’s Formula 1 team is suffering from lackluster results year after year. This means it would’ve only been logical for Haas to cut his losses, at least in NASCAR.

However, F1 isn’t as popular in the United States as NASCAR is. Why is that so important for Gene Haas? It all comes down to his bread and butter. The owner of Haas Automation shared with Jayski, “My commitment to motorsports hasn’t changed, just the scope of my involvement. Operating a four-car Cup Series team has become too arduous but, at the same time, I still need a platform to promote Haas Automation and grow HaasTooling.com”

According to Gene Haas, maintaining a presence in the Cup Series is vital for Haas Automation to be taken as a serious option for many customers and distributors. Owing to the team’s success over the past few seasons, many have come to believe Haas and NASCAR could go hand in hand. But that’s not all. Gene Haas also shared, “The Xfinity Series program provides a full weekend experience for our guests, and it delivers added depth and scale to our overall operation.”

The focus of Gene Haas’ continued NASCAR involvement is heavily based on promoting the business. And now not just one of the charters, but one of the drivers’ futures at SHR is going to be secure. But do you think that the Haas Factory Team will be competitive on track? Share with us in the comments.