JR Motorsports champion late model driver Josh Berry, who made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut last month, will get his second opportunity behind the wheel of the No. 5 Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 15. JR Motorsports general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller made the announcement on her Dirty Mo Radio podcast, Fast Lane Family presented by Charlie’s Soap, on Wednesday.
Ragu will be featured as the primary sponsor on Berry’s car. America’s leading pasta sauce brand since 1937, Ragu has been a partner with JR Motorsports since 2011. Regan Smith raced the No. 7 Ragu Chevrolet to victory at Daytona International Speedway earlier this year, giving JR Motorsports its first win in the season-opening event.
The Homestead weekend is shaping up to be a big one for JR Motorsports. Berry, who began racing late models for JRM in 2010, will be part of a JR Motorsports stable that includes championship contenders Chase Elliott and Regan Smith, respectively the first- and second-place drivers in the point standings with seven races to go.
“I’m very thankful that Ragu came on board and that everybody at JRM has worked so hard to make this happen,” Berry said on Fast Lane Family, which can be accessed free of charge at DaleJr.com and numerous podcasting apps. “Just like when I first started driving the late model, it started with one race. If one race went good, it went to two. Now we’re at two (in the Nationwide Series), if this goes well, hopefully we can do more. That’s definitely what I want to do.
“I have a pretty good feeling that Homestead-Miami weekend is going to be a very exciting weekend, not just for me, but for all of JR Motorsports.”
Last weekend, Berry won his second track championship and first at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. His 2014 campaign included nine wins, eight at Hickory and a mammoth 34-point margin of victory in the title race despite skipping one weekend to compete in the Nationwide Series on Aug. 2. In that race, Berry started 10th and finished 12th in the No. 5 Chevrolet with Ernie Cope as his crew chief.
“My approach to Homestead will be the same as it was at Iowa,” Berry said. “These guys gave me a lot of video of in-car footage, and I’m going to watch that. I’m going to study as much as I can, talk to as many people as I can – Dale (Earnhardt Jr.), Kevin (Harvick), Regan and Chase. I’ll probably annoy everybody, but I’m going to do all I can to prepare myself.”
The No. 5 team has competed on a part-time basis this season with drivers Earnhardt Jr., Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Austin Theriault. Led by Harvick’s four wins, the team boasts five total victories in 21 starts.
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