For Stewart-Haas Racing, it was always Josh Berry in the pursuit of a long-term driver for the team’s No. 4 car.
“We literally put all our eggs in one basket and it was this guy to my left,” team co-owner Tony Stewart said Wednesday afternoon at a press conference to formally name Berry as Kevin Harvick’s replacement.
Berry, 32, has been on a rapid rise from regional track trophy winner to Xfinity breakout star and the new fixture for Stewart-Haas. He substituted for injured drivers Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott in eight Cup races this season and won the All-Star Open race in North Wilkesboro.
Harvick, 47, is currently fifth in the Cup standings but will retire from full-time racing at the end of the season.
There is still a possibility Stewart and Gene Haas will need a replacement for 39-year-old Aric Almirola, who said he’s still contemplating whether he wants to race in 2024.