Wood Brothers Racing announced in June that they would be letting go of Josh Berry in 2027. 21-year-old Jesse Love will be his replacement on the No. 21 Ford, which over the past few weeks has become a hot topic of discussion among garage insiders. Many feel Berry deserves to stay on in the Cup Series, even if it’s not with Wood Brothers. Kevin Harvick, however, chose to focus on the team and not Berry in particular. He feels that they have made it a habit of pulling the plug at the wrong moment.
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“I love the Wood Brothers, but it’s the consistent cycle with this car. You change the driver, get everything back together, and then you’ve already fired the other driver. You get it together for the driver you fired at the end of the year, and then he’s out, right?” Harvick said on his Happy Hour podcast two days after the Dollar Tree 301, where Berry put in a statement performance.
He finished third, his best result of the 2026 season and his fourth consecutive top-10 finish. That’s a remarkable turnaround considering he had just two top-10s in the first 21 races. Things were finally clicking for Berry. But the momentum won’t matter because they will have to help a rookie get adjusted to the Cup Series instead next year. Harvick has noticed a pattern which he feels limits the team from making any real progress.
The former Cup Series champ pointed to Harrison Burton, who joined the No. 21 Ford in 2022. He went on to falter in both his rookie and sophomore seasons, 27th and 31st in the standings, respectively. In year three, Wood Brothers Racing announced Berry as his replacement for 2025 in July. Soon afterward? Burton created history.
He secured the iconic organization’s 100th Cup Series win — and his first — at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in Daytona, sending him to the playoffs. There was optimism. Burton was improving, but his Cup Series success ultimately wouldn’t matter. A few months later, he would drop down to the O’Reilly Series, just as Berry could now be forced to do.
Harvick has pointed out another “cycle” that Wood Brothers Racing seems to be stuck in. The team’s success has often depended on how Team Penske is performing. In the first half of 2026, Roger Penske’s organization struggled, with Joey Logano dropping as low as 20th in the standings. But they bounced back strongly later in the regular season, with Logano winning twice (in North Wilkesboro and Richmond) and Ryan Blaney once (in New Hampshire).
Both drivers are now in the championship conversation. Fortunately for Wood Brothers — but unfortunately for Berry — their resurgence has coincided with this.
Harvick remembers Ryan Blaney as the only driver to really make a name for himself in the No. 21 Ford. He made a deep playoff run with Wood Brothers Racing in 2017, finishing ninth in the standings. Since then, Paul Menard (2018-19), Matt DiBenedetto (2020-21), Burton (2022-24), and now Berry (2025-26) have all been stopgaps of sorts.
Next on the list to drive the iconic Ford is Love, and he would love to get closer to Blaney’s success rather than following in the footsteps of his four predecessors.
Josh Berry’s Cup Series future appears dark after recent revelation
Berry’s good run of form made many hopeful that Richard Childress Racing would pick him up for 2027. They had Austin Hill replace Kyle Busch after his death, driving the No. 33 team, but his performances have been rather forgettable. Berry, a former Cup Series winner, on paper, could have filled that role at RCR on a permanent basis. But the team chose to stick with its lineup.
On 24 August, RCR officially announced Hill as the driver for the No. 33 in 2027, leaving Berry with a bleak view of his Cup Series future. There are open spots in Kaulig Racing and Legacy Motor Club, but there’s not even a whisper in the garage around a potential move. It may just force Berry to explore options in the O’Reilly Series and the Truck Series.
Based on his recent form, it’s clear that when given a better car, Berry can deliver results. The 35-year-old remains pessimistic about getting a chance to continue at this level and has said that it would take someone believing in him. He also continues to face a roadblock in securing sponsorship money to land a seat.
“Unfortunately, most of the time, it comes down to how much money you have to find opportunities. Hopefully, something is out there for me,” Berry said to NASCAR journalist Dustin Albino.
Berry’s situation is a reminder of how quickly things can change in NASCAR, even when a driver finally starts putting everything together. For now, the No. 21 is moving on without him, and Berry is left waiting for someone to give him a reason to believe his Cup Series story isn’t over yet.