Hendrick Motorsports, which is coming off a 1-2-3 finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last Sunday, finalized the substitute driver for its fourth NASCAR Cup Series team.
Josh Berry, who placed 29th at Las Vegas in his first attempt at filling in for injured Chase Elliott, received a vote of confidence Tuesday, as reported by WCNC-TV Charlotte.
Elliott, who is recovering from a broken leg he suffered while snowboarding last Friday, is expected to miss at least six weeks. Berry, who will drive the No. 9 Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway next Sunday, looks like he’ll get his first prolonged look on oval tracks in a Cup car. Jordan Taylor will assume the driver’s seat on road courses, Hendrick announced.
“We’re focused on getting Chase back to 100 percent, so we’ll take however much time is necessary and make sure he has the best resources available,” Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick told WCNC.
Sunday’s back-of-the-pack effort during the Pennzoil 400 was Berry’s third career Cup race, but first in a Next Gen machine.
Taylor, who has yet to compete in a NASCAR national series event, is a three-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Champion.
We have ONE driver here today doing something special…. pic.twitter.com/jD9pra2WpQ
— Martinsville Speedway (@MartinsvilleSwy) March 7, 2023
Ross Chastain Helps Preserve ‘Hail Mellon’ Wall
Ross Chastain drove a different type of vehicle at Martinsville Speedway on Tuesday. The Cup Series driver climbed aboard a forklift and helped dislodge a section of Turns 3 and 4 he made famous with his “Hail Mellon” maneuver last fall.
On the final lap of the playoff semifinal, Chastain thrust his machine against the corner wall, propelling him past four competitors and earning enough points to advance to the 2022 Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway.
The portion of Martinsville’s wall that was removed will be preserved at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
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