Berry confronted loads of change when he started the 12 months – his first full-time Cup schedule, a brand new group in Stewart-Haas Racing in addition to Ford Efficiency’s introduction of its up to date ‘Darkish Horse’ Mustang into competitors.
All of these – plus some mishaps on the observe and pit highway – have contributed to a disappointing begin with SHR’s No. 4 workforce.
“We be ok with the place we’re at,” stated Berry, who has but to register a top-10 end this season. “We’ve been working higher than we’ve been ending. The info confirmed that for us, so we simply need to preserve plugging alongside and the outcomes will come.”
There’s loads of proof Berry can succeed at this stage.
He received 5 races in three full-time seasons within the Xfinity Collection and had some spectacular ends in Cup when he stuffed in instead driver for Hendrick Motorsports within the 2023 season.
Berry, 33, scored a runner-up end at Richmond in whereas substituting for Chase Elliott and a tenth at Dover whereas stepping in for Alex Bowman.
To date this 12 months, Berry’s finest outcomes have come on the Cup Collection’ brief tracks at Bristol and Richmond, the place he’s completed twelfth and eleventh, however stays mired twenty eighth within the sequence standings. He’s additionally crashed out of races at Atlanta and Texas.
Whereas no Ford drivers have but to win this season, Berry doesn’t essentially imagine that has something to do with the brand new up to date automotive physique launched this season.
“I really feel like after we’ve had our automotive driving like we would like, we’ve had pace. We noticed that on the brief tracks, even at Texas,” Berry stated. “We had an accident, however we had been knocking on the door of getting up into the highest 10.
“We had some races the place we didn’t run fairly like we needed and we’ve had some races the place we’ve been actually quick and had a depressing day on pit highway, so it’s a mix of all the pieces.
“The truth of it’s it’s simply laborious to win at this stage. I don’t suppose, for me, I’m not essentially panicked. I believe that we’re going to proceed to get higher on the No. 4 workforce. I really feel like if we preserve doing the appropriate issues we’ll preserve working higher.”
Catching as much as the competitors
The truth is, final Sunday at Talladega, three Ford drivers – Noah Gragson, Michael McDowell and Brad Keselowski – had put themselves in place to battle for the win on the ultimate lap however a nasty block by McDowell on Keselowski allowed Toyota driver Tyler Reddick to flee with the win.
Berry stated Ford officers proceed to gather knowledge on the automotive and engine’s efficiency and all the time on the lookout for methods to enhance.
“There are a whole lot of issues that go into it that we all know are areas we will enhance on, and you retain doing that,” he stated. “They only received the championship in all three divisions (final season) and everyone seems to be waving the white flag and panicking.
“I believe we’ll be effective. It’s simply going to take a while.”
