Wood Brothers Racing has moved quickly after Josh Berry announced that he will not return to the No. 21 Ford in 2027. The team has named its newest full-time Cup Series driver.
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According to a Wednesday announcement, Jesse Love will move up to the Cup Series. The 21-year-old will replace Berry in the No. 21 Ford while switching manufacturers. He will compete for Rookie of the Year honors as all of the Ford teams adapt to a new Mustang body.
Beginning in 2027, @jesselovejr1 will drive the No. 21 Ford Mustang for Wood Brothers Racing. pic.twitter.com/Z6sXINuTE6
— Wood Brothers Racing (@woodbrothers21) June 17, 2026
The team will provide more details about the No. 21 program in the coming months. For now, the focus will remain on getting Berry back to victory lane.
"Driving the No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing is truly an honor," said Love in a press release. "This team has played such an important role in NASCAR history, and the drivers who have sat behind the wheel of this car are some of the greatest our sport has ever seen.
"I'm incredibly grateful to everyone at Wood Brothers Racing, Team Penske and Ford Racing for believing in me - I'm excited to get to work, continue learning from the people around me and compete at the highest level."
Once a hot prospect in the Toyota pipeline, Love won 10 races and the ARCA Menards Series championship in 2023. He then made the leap to Chevrolet to move up to the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. He joined Richard Childress Racing and captured Rookie of the Year while driving the No. 2 Chevrolet.
Love has remained with Richard Childress Racing since. He captured the series title last season, and he made his Cup Series debut with five starts. He is currently second in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series standings behind Justin Allgaier.
"Jesse has accomplished a lot at a young age," said Jon Wood, president of Wood Brothers Racing.
"He's demonstrated the ability to win races, compete for championships and handle the expectations that come with racing at a high level. We're looking forward to giving him the opportunity to take the next step in his career with the No. 21 team."
This move to the Cup Series will have a ripple effect. Richard Childress Racing will have to identify the driver who can replace Love in the No. 2 Chevrolet. Meanwhile, Berry will continue to seek his next opportunity in the sport after taking Wood Brothers Racing to the playoffs last season.
