Josh Berry set to replace retiring Kevin Harvick for Stewart Haas Racing

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Josh Berry will take the final step in his long journey to the top of racing with Stewart-Haas Racing next season as the replacement for future NASCAR Hall of Famer Kevin Harvick.

Harvick is retiring at the end of this season and Berry on Wednesday was named next year's driver in the No. 4 Ford Mustang for SHR. Berry, a journeyman who earlier this year signed with Harvick's agency as the first management team he's had in his career, will be 33 when he begins his first full season at the elite Cup level.

His route from Hendersonville, Tennessee, to one of the most prominent seats in the sport was pushed along by Dale Earnhardt Jr., who discovered Berry at least a dozen years ago in the online racing community. Earnhardt has taken Berry as far as possible, which this year has included eight Cup races with Hendrick Motorsports as the injury replacement for both Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman.

Some believed those races driving Hendrick equipment were a tryout for Berry, but SHR already was pursuing him. The 47-year-old Harvick is the core of the four-car team but is stepping down at the end of his 23rd Cup season.

Aric Almirola, who is 39, has not said if he's postponing his 2022 retirement announcement a second year. Ryan Preece, like Berry will be 33 next season, but his fifth full season of Cup will only be his second with SHR.

Josh Berry, driver of the #8 Tire Pros Love The Drive Chevrolet, drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series DoorDash 250 at Sonoma Raceway on June 10, 2023 in Sonoma, California.  (Logan Riely/Getty Images)

That leaves Chase Briscoe, who drives co-owner Tony Stewart's pressure-packed No. 14, and although