Josh Berry has been called on to sub for a NASCAR Cup series driver once more. Berry will be racing in place of Noah Gragson in the No. 42 Chevrolet for Legacy Motor Club after the team suspended Gragson for the weekend’s events at Michigan International Speedway. NASCAR later said Gragson’s suspension was indefinite.
About an hour prior to the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying Saturday the team issued a statement:
“We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effective immediately regarding his actions that do not represent the values of our team. Josh Berry will drive the No. 42 entry for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan.”
Early Saturday afternoon NASCAR issued a statement and indicated that the suspension is indefinite:
“NASCAR fully supports Legacy Motor Club’s decision to suspend Noah Gragson. Following his actions on social media, NASCAR has determined that Gragson has violated the Member Conduct section of the 2023 NASCAR Rule Book and has placed him under indefinite suspension.”
The decision apparently stems from a social media post that Gragson “liked.” The post on X, formally known as Twitter, was a derogatory meme in reference to George Floyd whose death in May of 2020 at the hands of police in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protest against racial inequality. In NASCAR the Cup series lone Black driver Bubba Wallace, who at the time drove for Richard Petty Motorsports.
The following year Maury Gallagher acquired Richard Petty Motorsports and renamed the team to Petty GMS. With the addition of Johnson to the ownership structure in 2023, the organization rebranded itself to Legacy Motorsports. Wallce left the team for 23XI Motorsports at the end of the 2021 season.
Gragson, who moved up to the Cup series with Legacy Motor Club this season, issued an apology for his actions shortly after Legacy sent out their own statement. Gragson’s apology posted on X (formerly Twitter), seemed to confirm that his transgression occurred on social media.
“I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media. I understand the severity of this situation. I love and appreciate everyone. I try to treat everyone equally no matter who they are. I messed up plain and simple.”
Gragson, a 25-year-old Vegas native had his has a best finish of 12th at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the spring.
Berry has become a “super sub” of sorts this season. Berry was called on by Hendrick Motorsports to sub for Chase Elliott while that driver recovered from a broken leg suffered in a snowboarding accident in Colorado on March 3. He was in five races for the team then called on again to sub for Hendrick stepping in for driver Alex Bowman who suffered a fractured vertebra in a Sprint Car race at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa in April.
In June, Berry was announced as the replacement for Kevin Harvick at Stewart-Haas Racing starting in 2024. Berry’s best finish in Hendrick equipment was second at Richmond Raceway in the No. 9 in April.
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