Overview
- Wood Brothers Racing confirmed on Wednesday that Jesse Love will drive the No. 21 Ford Mustang full time in the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season, replacing Josh Berry.
- Love, the 2025 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion with prior ARCA titles and seven Cup starts, will remain with Richard Childress Racing through the end of the 2026 O’Reilly championship campaign before joining Wood Brothers.
- Wood Brothers said it declined the option on Josh Berry’s contract earlier this month; Berry will complete the 2026 Cup season with the team and is now a free agent exploring 2027 opportunities.
- The move leverages Wood Brothers’ technical alliance with Team Penske and support from Ford, which team officials cited as part of the package that attracted a top prospect and makes the No. 21 a viable development seat.
- The signing removes one of the highest-profile young candidates from RCR’s cupboard after Kyle Busch’s death and is likely to shift other offseason decisions as teams rethink available Cup seats and development pathways.