By Cameron Bebeau, Staff Writer

Jesse Love will move to the NASCAR Cup Series full time in 2027, taking over the No. 21 Ford Mustang for Wood Brothers Racing.

Love, the 2025 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion and current driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, will replace Josh Berry, who announced earlier this week that he would not return to the team following the 2026 season.

“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.” said Love in a team release.

The move continues a rapid climb through the NASCAR ranks for Love, who has built one of the strongest resumes among the sport’s young drivers. The Menlo Park, California native became the youngest champion in ARCA Menards Series history after winning two ARCA Menards Series West titles at 15 and 16 years old, then added the 2023 ARCA Menards Series title at the age of 18.

Love earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series before following that with a championship in his sophomore year. He currently sits second in the series standings while pursuing a second consecutive title.

“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.”

While Love has limited Cup Series experience, he has already made seven starts since early 2025, with a best finish of 24th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro for Beard Motorsports. His O’Reilly Auto Parts Series resume has been much stronger, with 50 top-10 finishes across 83 starts.

Wood Brothers Racing is NASCAR’s longest-running active team and has earned 101 victories in the Cup Series. The organization has fielded cars for several of the sport’s most notable drivers, including David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Neil Bonnett, and A.J. Foyt.

The team continues to operate through a technical alliance with Team Penske while receiving support from Ford Racing. Additional details about the No. 21 team’s plans for the 2027 season will be announced at a later date.