Overview
- Wood Brothers Racing informed outlets in June 2026 that it will not keep Josh Berry for 2027 and that Jesse Love is expected to replace him in the No. 21 Ford.
- Berry’s 2026 results have declined sharply, with a late-race crash at North Wilkesboro that produced a 36th-place finish and left him 33rd of 35 full-time Cup drivers.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr., who mentored and personally supported Berry for years, said he does not know what went wrong and expressed concern about Berry’s future on his podcast.
- Reporters note the modern Cup market has most seats locked and increasingly rewards drivers who bring sponsorship or personal funding, which limits options for free agents like Berry.
- Berry still has the remainder of the 2026 schedule to improve his case and a win or strong runs are presented as the clearest path to restoring his chances for a 2027 ride.