Josh Berry has much on his mind this week. Firstly, his NASCAR team is dissolving soon, meaning he has no seat for the next season. Furthermore, with announcements like these between seasons, the departure of crew members poses a significant challenge. This surely must be playing in everyone’s mind at SHR, including Berry. Plus, he still hasn’t made it to the playoffs yet, which is the most crucial thing.
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For Josh Berry, every race now is an audition. He has to race, and he has to do better! But his fate is too awry for him because all that could go wrong went wrong in Illinois!
Josh Berry struggling in NASCAR with ongoing misfortune
Josh Berry must already feel the heat of not making it to the playoffs yet. But it’s easier said than done. The limited resources of SHR and three DNFs are far from ideal for a driver who is fighting for his future in the sport. Yet Josh Berry was having an amazing start to the race at Illinois. He had a fast car, and he moved to the top 15 quite quickly.
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But he met his ill fate just as quickly. He had pushed the exit a little too hard on the last section and got a speeding ticket. But that’s not the end of his misery. Because the Achilles heel for him came when he blew a tire in stage 2!
The team was running a long-tire strategy, but clearly, it didn’t work. Last season, even brake rotors were the big story after the Gateway race. Here too, it initially seemed like the case, but ultimately it was a flat tire that caused him to hit the wall. Talking with Frontstretch, Berry said, “I mean, obviously with what our past has been with the rotors here, it kind of makes you think that. I’d been over and looked at the rotors and they looked like they were still on it, so maybe it was uh I’d say it’s either that or a tire.” And that was Berry’s exit from the race.
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JOLIET, IL – SEPTEMBER 16: Josh Berry, driver of the #71 American Club/RaceTrac Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on September 16, 2016 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)
Though disappointing, he has many more races he can prove himself. And in NASCAR, the entire game can change in just a week. Look at Brad Keselowski. He was in a slump for a long while, and after winning once at Darlington, he is unstoppable. He got P3 in Illinois! However, Keselowski doesn’t need a new team, but Berry does.
Josh Berry may land at one of the two possible teams for the upcoming season
As a rookie, Josh Berry has displayed a strong suit. He finished top-10 twice and in the top 5 and has led a total of 38 laps so far this season. But the reality is facing him starkly–he has no seat for the upcoming season. But given his more than good performance as a rookie, chances are that the Hendersonville Tennessee native can get a seat elsewhere.
The Front Row has two cars already and if rumors are true, they already have locked in a third charter. And they had already announced that Michael Mcdowell is set to leave the No.34 Ford to take over the no.72 Chevrolet at Spire Motorsports. Hence that seat is empty, Berry could very well take a seat there. Cole Custer is rumored to be a choice to replace McDowell but with Front Row Motorsports purchasing another charter, it still has one place empty.
RFK team is also rumored to have an interest in SHR charters. They have fielded a third entry once this season and want to continue the streak. They had a No.60 Ford driven by David Ragan in Daytona 500 and even Cam Waters is set to drive it at the upcoming Sonoma Raceway. If they decide to make “Stage 60” a permanent thing, getting a charter would be sensible. And if they do, Berry can pitch in.
What do you think? Which team will Josh Berry possibly go to? Or will he probably not have a seat next season?
Written by
Edited by
Rupak Kumar Jha