Stewart-Haas Racing’s Josh Berry looks back at his “relentless” journey to NASCAR Cup racing

With the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season right around the corner, Stewart-Haas Racing's Josh Berry is one driver looking forward to his full-time debut in the highest echelon of stock car racing this year.

First seen as a replacement driver for Hendrick Motorsports' Chase Elliott after the latter got injured early in the 2023 season, Josh Berry proved his mettle behind the wheel in the Cup Series.

Considering the way the silly season and driver market turned out after the 2023 season came to an end, Tony Stewart and Gene Haas' team managed to bag the Xfinity Series veteran to drive in their equipment.

Looking back at what has been an unusual climb to the biggest stage of NASCAR, Josh Berry spoke about his journey in a video uploaded by the Stewart-Haas team on X (formerly Twitter).

Berry said:

"When I think about my journey to the Cup Series throughout my career the word that really kind of comes to mind for me is being relentless. As a kid growing up there was plenty of times throughout my career that we could have easily stopped racing and we just always trying to plug away and I think I took that same mentality when I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to race for JR Motorsports."

Stewart-Haas Racing is a team looking to rebound from the difficulties they have faced since the introduction of the Next Gen Cup car two years ago. After going winless in 2023, SHR would look to rebound into what could be a crucial year for the team.

Josh Berry makes up a driver lineup that has been heavily revised after last season, with the departure of both Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola. Josh Berry, an Xfinity Series championship contender with Dale Earnhard Jr.'s team, replaces Harvick while the young and controversial driver Noah Gragson replaces Almirola.

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Josh Berry touches on keeping his morale high during the ups and downs of his NASCAR career

As is the case with any racing driver or athlete, Josh Berry faced certain challenges throughout his career which helped him get to where he is now.

Speaking on how keeping his head high and not being frustrated with things happening a certain way helped him reach the heights of the Cup Series, the SHR driver said:

"I think, over those years (at JR Motorsports) it would have been really easy to get frustrated about not having certain opportunities or maybe getting looked over but what I try to remember is to really enjoy what I was doing and I really loved building my own race cars."

The NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off with the Daytona 500 next month on February 18, 2024, at 2:30 pm ET.