“I Had My Dad” – Despite Tough Outing in Las Vegas, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Acknowledges Chase Elliott’s Replacement’s “Self Made” NASCAR Journey

Hendrick Motorsports found themselves in deep trouble last weekend after their star driver, Chase Elliott, suffered a bad injury, ruling him out for multiple weeks. In a crisis situation, Xfinity Series driver Josh Berry was called in to take the steering wheel of Elliott’s #9 Chevy. However, Berry had a tough outing in Las Vegas as he finished 29th with no points in the bag while three other Hendrick cars finished in the top three. Although the 32-year-old struggled at his first race of 2023, Dale Earnhardt Jr. acknowledged his efforts to create his own pathway to a Cup Series opportunity.

Dale Jr. recently joined co-host Mike Davis at The Dale Jr. Download podcast. He reckoned that the chances of Cup Series teams pursuing Josh Berry would depend on the limited opportunities he gets at Hendrick Motorsports in Chase Elliott’s absence. Moreover, the NASCAR veteran shared the conversation he had with Berry after his outing in Vegas.

Dale Earnhardt is inspired by Josh Berry’s journey

In the recent episode of The Dale Jr.  Download podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed that he advised Berry to stay positive. He told the JR Motorsports driver to focus on redeeming himself in the Xfinity Series if things did not work out in his favor. Further, Dale Jr. hoped that Josh Berry would perform better if he received another opportunity to drive for Hendrick Motorsports.

The two-time Busch Series champ said, “But, I cannot, you know, I had my last name. I had my dad. This guy came from Nashville and he’s here. He has nobody around him other than his wife. And he’s on this deal on his own.”

Moreover, Dale Jr. believed that Josh Berry would have been under immense pressure during the race in Las Vegas, given his lack of experience in driving Cup Series cars.

The 48-year-old admitted that he was nervous during his first race despite growing up in the NASCAR environment. Dale Jr. added, “But this guy has, anybody like that, I mean. It really has made me appreciate, like the self-made driver, right.”

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Further, Dale Earnhardt Jr. pointed out that watching drivers from humble backgrounds struggling to make it to NASCAR led him to realize how difficult it is to be a racing driver in the sport. Thus, the NASCAR veteran was impressed with Berry achievement’s and hoped that he would get another chance.

Hendrick Motorsports’ decision on Elliott’s replacement

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Chase Elliott is likely to be sidelined for six weeks following a fractured tibia that led to surgery. Luckily for Berry, Hendrick Motorsports has decided to stick with him on oval tracks until Elliott returns. Meanwhile, Jackson Taylor would be driving the #9 car at the Circuit of The Americas.

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Do you think Josh Berry is a good replacement for Chase Elliott? Let us know in the comments below!