Before taking his place on the podium to answer reporters’ questions Friday, Josh Berry stood off by himself in the Media Center looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway front-straight below.
The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford is one of 10 fulltime NASCAR Cup Series drivers entered for Sunday’s Brickyard 400 that has never competed on the historic 2.5-oval before. During his time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, races were held on the track’s infield road course.
“It definitely feels different coming here to run the oval than it did the road course,” Berry said. “I think just getting to take in the oval and just the history behind it, is something that’s going to be really fun. This is my first time up here, so just checking things out a little bit.”
Berry conceded he has an advantage in his back pocket – crew chief Rodney Childers led the former driver of the SHR No. 4, Kevin Harvick, to back-to-back wins the last two races on the big oval.
“I think obviously he’s really excited to get back here because they won the last two Brickyard 400s,” Berry said. “I feel like we’re leaning on each other and communicating like we always do. … The team’s got a little extra confidence this week for sure.”
A victory this weekend would be crucial for Berry’s team with only five races remaining to set the 16-driver Playoff field, Berry – a series rookie – is currently ranked 21st in the Playoff standings, 144 points out of the final points transfer position.
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