Hendrick Motorsports’ Iconic Underdog Benefits off of Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Crisis

As the NASCAR regular season reaches the home stretch, all hands must be on deck for teams eyeing a coveted playoff berth. Dropping the ball at this eleventh hour is surely not on any team’s wishlist.

Yet, in the latest twist in the tale, a driver from Legacy Motor Club has found himself in hot water due to a social media misstep. This cloud, however, has a silver lining: an unexpected opening for a dark horse to step into the limelight and shine.

NASCAR’s underdog earns his third 2023 Cup Series drive as Dale Earnhardt Jr’s pride takes a hit

2023 has truly been a roller coaster for the #42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver. While fate favored him, letting him take the wheel in eight races in the 2023 Cup Series due to the unexpected twists of fate with Chase Elliot and Alex Bowman’s mishaps, Josh Berry is once again in the spotlight.

After a mysterious cloud hung over Noah Gragson‘s recent suspension, the baton has been passed to Berry. Legacy Motorsports crisply remarked without revealing any specifics about the suspension, “We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effective immediately regarding his actions that do not represent the values of our team. Josh Berry will drive the No. 42 entry for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan.”

Moreover, NASCAR, in solidarity, gave their nod of approval to Legacy Motorsports’ call, slamming the brakes on Gragson for crossing the line on social media and placing him on indefinite suspension.

“NASCAR fully supports Legacy Motor Club’s decision to suspend Noah Gragson. Following his actions on social media, NASCAR has determined that Gragson has violated the Member Conduct section of the 2023 NASCAR Rule Book and has placed him under indefinite suspension,” a NASCAR statement read.

Noah Gragson, once riding high with Dale Earnhardt Jr‘s elite JR Motorsports, has bitten the bullet, confessing and lamenting over his lapse in judgment on social media. He candidly expressed, “I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media.” Gragson further wrote, “I understand the severity of this situation. I love and appreciate everyone. I try to treat everyone equally, no matter who they are. I messed up, plain and simple.”

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As the dust settles, it’s Berry once more in the driving seat, this time in the #42 car, come Sunday. Deja vu strikes as Berry, soon to be Kevin Harvick’s successor at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024, is reprising a role; he had earlier filled Gragson’s shoes in the #9 Xfinity Series car at Dale Earnhardt Jr’s JR Motorsports after the latter revved up to the Cup Series in 2023.

Legacy Motor Club updates on third-time lucky Josh Berry position for Michigan 

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2023 has seen Josh Berry play a stellar pinch-hitter for Hendrick Motorsports not once but twice. First, he stepped up to the plate in Chase Elliott’s absence, who was laid up after a frosty mishap on the snowboarding slopes. Then, when Alex Bowman found himself on the back foot due to a spine-jarring incident in sprint car racing, Berry was once again the go-to guy for three more races. Now with Gragson headed home, Legacy Motor Club has already updated its followers about the starting positions for tomorrow.

Although he will be starting in 35th position, he will have the advantage of already having raced there on Saturday.  

Reading between the lines of his stats, one can’t help but wonder: given the right stage, could Berry not just fill shoes but also leave a lasting footprint? In his eight showings, Berry didn’t just make up the numbers; he bagged three top-10 finishes. His crowning jewel came at Richmond, where he raced to a sterling second place, setting a personal Cup Series record. To add another feather to his cap, Berry clinched victory at the All-Star Open in North Wilkesboro. However, for now, however, he seems content playing substitute to Dale Earnhardt Jr’s erstwhile speedster.

Read More: “I Am Disappointed in Myself”: Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Pride Issues Public Apology; Fans Demand He Gets His Seat Back