Josh Berry’s Dale Earnhardt Jr ‘Pedigree’ Could Resolve Tony Stewart’s Sponsorship Disaster, Claims NASCAR Insider

One word that could describe the 2023 Cup Series for Stewart-Haas Racing is ‘tumultuous’. The 4-driver team had to brave the loss of momentum along with a plethora of on-track incidents. To add to their woes, the face of the team and dark horse of NASCAR, Kevin Harvick announced his retirement at the beginning of the year. Owing to this, the team could witness yet another misery as preparations for 2024 kick off gradually.

However, a certain Dale Earnhardt Jr and his popularity could provide a solution. Although the team has found its replacement for the 2014 Cup Series champion in Josh Berry, the biggest roadblock that the team has to overcome is that of sponsorships. But it seems that NASCAR insiders have unearthed the perfect solution for the team in the latest episode of PRN Live.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s precarious position threatens Josh Berry’s future

With the announcement of Kevin Harvick’s retirement, a long-time sponsor of the No.4 team also announced its withdrawal from Stewart-Haas Racing. The $100 billion company, Anheuser Busch, is now set to join Trackhouse Racing and adorn the car of Ross Chastain’s #1 Chevrolet from next season.

To make matters worse, Aric Almirola along with his car’s primary sponsor Smithfield also announced a departure. As a result, Tony Stewart and his team are yet to find the silver lining, for the team and also for their incoming driver Josh Berry.

The former Xfinity driver is yet to land a sponsorship that would ensure his seat on the team. Nevertheless, NASCAR insiders believe that Berry’s roots with JR Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt Jr would be a redeeming factor for the team.

In the latest episode of PRN Live, Alexis Erickson asserted, “I mean we have known for months that Josh was going to be in the #4 car, but we do not know yet who is going to be on that car. So that will certainly be interesting to see what partners they attract.”

The host Doug Rice also expressed, “I think if you are a smart marketer that’s a good guy to attach to. I believe he gets a built-in following, one because he’s kind of got a cool persona. Two, he has a little Junior pedigree to him now. Never underestimate that. If you get associated with the Junior brand, even if you are an Xfinity driver, it carries over.”

Watch this Story: NASCAR’s 2024 Schedule: A New Chapter Begins

NASCAR insiders gamble their faith on Dale Earnhardt Jr for Josh Berry’s Cup Series run

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Josh Berry’s acquaintance with Dale Earnhardt Jr has been the biggest boost for the 33-year-old driver. Dale Jr had provided Berry a seat in his JR Motorsports team. Moreover, Junior has been an indispensable part of NASCAR and whose words still resonate within the sport’s inner circle.

Owing to this stronghold, Brad Gillie shared his optimism and how it would help Berry with sponsorship. He expressed, “I think so, we have seen it for a long long time. And you know quite honestly, it doesn’t matter who has driven for them when you start talking about the most popular driver things. And heck we have seen All-Star fan votes go the way of Junior Motorsports. People who have graduated from that and on into the Cup. So yeah it’s a good thing and I think a lot of people also like sort of the blue-collar way that Josh Berry has come up and gotten into the Cup Series.

“I mean he’s spent a decade running late models for JR Motorsports and just fighting his way through. And when the opportunity presented itself in a year that Sam Mayers was not old enough to drive that car. And Josh Berry got to start the season, he proved his talent. He found victory lane a couple of times that year and got a full-time ride. That’s very appealing.”

With any deal yet to reach a culmination, it will be interesting to see, which organization is ready to extend its helping hands to Josh Berry and Stewart-Haas Racing and pull up from its woes.

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