On Wednesday, Wood Brothers Racing announced that they have signed 2025 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion Jesse Love for the 2027 NASCAR Cup season.
Love, 21, burst onto the scene in 2023, winning 10 of 20 ARCA races en route to the title. Since then, he has won three NASCAR O’Reilly races with Richard Childress Racing, and the 2025 title. He has also made seven Cup starts with RCR, finishing as high as 24th in last year’s Brickyard 400.
He currently sits second in the NASCAR O’Reilly championship standings.
“Driving the No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing is truly an honor,” said Love in a release from the team. “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.”
Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing
Photo by: Brett Farmer / Getty Images
Love will replace Josh Berry, who the team is releasing after two seasons together. The Wood Brothers are one of the oldest race teams in all of NASCAR, dating back to the early 1950s with 101 race wins.
“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.”
Love will finish the season with RCR, who released the following statement on Love’s departure: “Richard Childress Racing is appreciative of Jesse Love’s contributions during his three seasons with our organization and wishes him nothing but success in the future. Jesse is a talented racer, and we are proud to have played a role in his development into a NASCAR champion. All parties remain aligned and committed to defending the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship in 2026.”
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