2023 has been a year filled with major ups and downs, from a historic return to North Wilkesboro to Ryan Blaney winning the championship. But perhaps the one downer which stung fans the most was Kevin Harvick’s retirement at the end of the season. While Harvick managed to get the team one final play-off qualification after delivering a mega driver to secure seventh in his final race, Stewart-Haas Racing’s miseries as of late are far from over. Or could the man brought in to replace Kevin Harvick turn things around for desperate SHR fans?

It’s no secret that Josh Berry is an established name in the sport, boasting 21 wins in Earnhardt Jr’s CARS Late Model Stock Tour. However, when Stewart-Haas Racing decided to bring him in as the No.4’s new driver, questions were raised as to just how likely Berry was to bring glory back to SHR after having a mediocre Xfinity series outing himself.

Is Josh Berry the perfect replacement for Kevin Harvick?

When we compare Stewart-Haas Racing’s new lineup to the likes of Harvick and Almirola, there’s a lot left to be desired. But at the same time, the promise of a better future is not too far away either. The pairing of Noah Gragson and Josh Berry could do wonders for SHR, especially with Rodney Childers on board. It’s already been a few months since Childers began building his relationship with Berry, and the pair have already made major strides in their chemistry.

While Berry and Childers are hopeful their partnership will pay dividends, the last few years have not been the best for Stewart-Haas Racing. While Blaney and Co. were taking things up a notch with every race, SHR were left scratching their heads, wondering how only one out of four cars made it through to the playoffs! With their results as of late, many have called for a complete restructuring of the team.

Where this could create an issue is trying to derive results of Kevin Harvick’s caliber from the likes of a Cup Series driver who, while talented, had gone winless in the Xfinity Series this year. Adding to SHR’s ever-growing troubles, long-time sponsors Busch Light and Hunt Brothers Pizza have pulled their support after Harvick’s departure. But this is where Berry could prove beneficial.

Josh Berry reportedly has an announcement in the works alongside Harrison’s USA, who have the intention to work alongside the talent as revealed by an insider earlier this week. If he could bring in a big-name brand to ease Stewart-Haas Racing’s sponsorship dilemma, his value to the team of the track itself would get a significant boost. While the decision might still leave some Stewart-Haas Racing fans wanting for more, Josh Berry has surely got the opportunity of a lifetime.

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Josh Berry might have had a winless Xfinity season with Jr Motorsports, but his new team have called in the big guns from Hendrick Motorsports to assist him in the new challenge.

Eddie D’Hondt joins Berry’s Stewart-Haas Racing adventure

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Veteran Cup Series spotter, Eddie D’Hondt, is all set to be Josh Berry’s eyes in the sky for the 2023 season. The pair have already familiarised themselves with each other during Berry’s time as Chase Elliott’s replacement for five races during his injury. Why D’Hondt’s involvement is of such significance lies greatly with his previous achievements as the spotter for Hendrick Motorsports for 12 seasons. Working alongside the legends Jeff Gordon and Chase Elliot, D’Hondt contributed to Rick Hendrick’s consistent success in the previous decade.

Working with Eddie D’Hondt allowed Berry to secure his career-best Cup Series finished when he crossed the line in second at Richmond Raceway as Elliott’s replacement. On the other hand, the No. 4’s previous spotter, Tim Fedewa will make a dream move to assist Ryan Blaney and the No.12 Team Ford Penske. Stewart-Haas Racing has also paired Noah Gragson with veteran spotter, Andy Houston to maximise the prospects of his inaugural season.

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It’s safe to say that, after keeping Josh Berry’s winless season aside, Stewart-Haas Racing has pulled out all the stops to ensure Berry has the right environment to live up to his full potential. Has SHR found Kevin Harvick’s replacement at such short notice successfully?