Josh Berry is the first driver to lock a spot in the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Round after winning at Las Vegas on Saturday, and JR Motorsports understandably wants to keep him around as they signed him for the 2023 season.
“JR Motorsports has always been my home as a racer, and I’m proud to return to JRM and the #8 team for 2023,” Berry stated. “When I came here, it was as a late model driver and mechanic, and when I got the opportunity to race full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, it was a dream come true. We’ll race for a series championship next month, and that’s nearly full circle for me with the team.”
Berry is a longtime member of the JRM organisation, having competed for them in the Xfinity Series since 2014 and winning multiple late model races, the latter of which also includes the 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national championship. However, his Xfinity career had been held back by a lack of funding, which resulted in his 2021 Rookie of the Year campaign not being a full-time season despite winning twice, though he was still busy with multiple starts as a substitute driver. Berry even got to race in the Cup Series in relief duty.
He was able to acquire enough backing for the entire 2022 season with increased support from Tire Pros. This commitment has paid off tremendously as he has won three times and sits fourth in points with a ticket to the Championship Round. Tire Pros will sponsor him for nine races in 2023 while serving as an associate sponsor for the rest.
“Greg (Bell, Tire Pros president) and the team over at Tire Pros are a huge reason I’m able to drive in the Xfinity Series,” said Berry. “They took a chance on me in 2021 and for that I am forever thankful. We had a great first year together and were able to follow that up by putting the Tire Pros Chevrolet into Victory Lane at Dover. I can’t wait to continue that success in 2023.”
Berry’s return confirms the full 2023 lineup for JRM as Justin Allgaier and Sam Mayer remain in their respective rides. Noah Gragson will graduate to the Cup Series and his #9 filled by Brandon Jones.
“We’ve been lucky to have Josh spend so much of his career with JR Motorsports,” commented JRM owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. “He’s been successful at every level for us. He’s performed well and won races in our cars, and now he’s contending for NASCAR championships. He established our late model team as a championship-calibre programme and is now contributing to our Xfinity programme, and I couldn’t be more proud to have him back at JRM in 2023.”