The Wooden Brothers knowledgeable Josh Berry that they might be transferring in a distinct route on the finish of this season, that means the winner of the Las Vegas spring race final season joins a crowded record of impending free brokers.
The 35-year-old, and long-time brief tracker turned NASCAR success story over this decade, has competed within the Cup Collection since 2024 following a four-year stint within the O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection with JR Motorsports.
Earlier than taking on the famed No. 21, Berry changed Kevin Harvick within the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4. Berry can be represented by Harvick’s sports activities company.
“The Wooden Brothers piece, I’ll simply go forward and put it on the market that I cannot be again within the 21 automobile subsequent yr,” Berry mentioned throughout a Tuesday Ford Efficiency convention name. “I’m clearly disenchanted about that. They’ve been superb to work with. They’re superb folks and it’s been such an incredible alternative. Clearly, going to Victory Lane for the primary time and successful your first race with them will at all times be actually particular, however I’m not going to be again within the 21 subsequent yr.
“I’m going to hit the bottom operating and dealing arduous to attempt to discover out what’s on the market and I’m actually open and optimistic about any alternatives that come my manner. However, at the start, we’re going to do our greatest to complete this season sturdy and depart in a superb place.”
Berry gained his manner into the Cup Collection playoffs final yr, and confirmed lots of pace in that first spherical however was undone by excessive misfortune. He was twenty first within the common season standings earlier than the reset.
In the meantime, this season has been a battle for everybody at Workforce Penske, which provides gear for the Wooden Brothers, except Ryan Blaney. Berry is thirtieth within the championship standings with solely two top-10s at Daytona and Martinsville.
“I nonetheless really feel like I am the identical man that gained Las Vegas,” Berry mentioned. “I’m nonetheless the identical man that just about gained at New Hampshire within the playoffs. It’s been a tricky yr, like I mentioned, however we’ll work by it and attempt to discover out what’s on the market. The solar got here up right now no matter how dangerous it may need felt yesterday. It may need felt prefer it may not, however the solar got here up this morning and it’s a brand new day. You land in your toes and go to work and that’s all you are able to do.
“It’s an incredible alternative for me to indicate my youngsters how you can deal with adversity and how you can work by issues when life doesn’t go your manner and, like I mentioned, we’ll decide up the items and transfer on.”
Berry mentioned he’s beginning to work by the free company course of with Kevin Harvick Inc. vice chairman Josh Jones.
“You by no means know what sort of alternatives come about and the place it goes from right here. It’s robust to have occur, however on the similar time I’ve been extraordinarily lucky to get the alternatives that I’ve had and been extraordinarily lucky to drive for the Wooden Brothers and this crew,” Berry mentioned. “Sadly, it’s entering into a distinct route, however you by no means know what doorways would possibly open up and we’re going to work arduous to attempt to land on our toes and discover one thing. I don’t actually have any expectations or plans for what that is perhaps. I’m actually open to actually something.”
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Whereas Berry seems like not the whole lot this season has been below his management, this revelation didn’t shock him. He’s seen and heard the rumors linking Jesse Like to the No. 21 automobile.
“From my facet of issues, I didn’t precisely really feel nice about it,” Berry mentioned. “I in all probability would have mentioned myself I used to be in all probability 50-50 on what was occurring. It’s like I mentioned, it’s been a tricky yr. That’s the truth of it. Clearly, I don’t need it to work this manner, but it surely’s been a tricky yr and when you’ve a few of the issues we’ve had occur and the outcomes that we’ve had occur, whatever the particulars of it, you begin to query that and that’s truthful on the finish of the day.
“If we had run higher, we in all probability wouldn’t be having this dialog, however we didn’t, so now we’ve acquired an x-number of races all through the remainder of the yr to show that again round and alter the narrative and get again nearer to the entrance. It’s been a battle for lots of the Fords and lots of the fellows this yr and we’ve simply acquired to show that round and go to the subsequent race.
“On the finish of the day, whether or not you win otherwise you wreck or no matter you go to work on Monday and go to the subsequent race and that’s what we’re going to do from right here on out and see the way it all shakes out.”
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