by Reid Scearce
Josh Berry’s strong summer leads to a new opportunity in 2027 with Legacy Motor Club in the NASCAR Cup Series.
For Josh Berry, the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season appeared to be heading toward an uncomfortable conclusion long before the checkered flag waved at Daytona International Speedway.
Wood Brothers Racing
Berry started the 2026 season driving the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford after a 2025 campaign that included both the biggest achievement of his Cup career and one of its most difficult stretches. In just his fifth race with the Wood Brothers, Berry won the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, earning his first Cup Series victory and the organization’s 101st win.
The win meant Berry made it to the NASCAR playoffs, but his campaign could hardly get any worse. Berry crashed during the opening two races of the Round of 16 before a brake issue at Bristol Motor Speedway left him with three consecutive last-place finishes. He was immediately eliminated and ultimately finished 16th in the championship standings.
Berry finished 2025 with eight top-ten finishes, three top-five finishes, and one victory. NASCAR’s season review mentioned that Berry bounced back after his playoff elimination, including a runner-up finish at New Hampshire and a seventh-place finish at Phoenix.
Unfortunately for Berry, his 2026 season began subpar.
Berry finished ninth in the Daytona 500, but his season was quickly unraveling. He finished 26th or worse in 11 of his next 15 races and recorded four DNFs. Martinsville was Berry’s only other top-ten finish during that span. By June, the Wood Brothers had seen enough.
2027 Uncertainty Leads to 2026 Turnaround
On June 10, Berry announced that he would not return to the No. 21 in 2027. Wood Brothers Racing then confirmed that it would not exercise the 35-year-old driver’s option. One week later, Wood Brothers Racing named Jesse Love as Berry’s replacement. All of a sudden, Berry was in a similar situation to many drivers before him. Despite proving he could win in the Cup Series, he did not have a ride for the following season or the sponsorship money to secure a competitive one.
Shortly after the news broke, however, the tides began to turn for Berry. Starting in late July at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Berry put together one of the best runs of his NASCAR career. The No. 21 Ford recorded a top-ten finish in six consecutive races and most recently in the postseason opener. His average finish across those six races was an astonishing 6.3, with Berry recording two top-five finishes and never finishing worse than ninth.
Indianapolis – 7th
Iowa – 4th
Richmond – 8th
New Hampshire – 3rd
Daytona – 9th
Darlington – 7th
Legacy Motor Club
Luckily for Berry, teams such as Legacy Motor Club were watching closely. As he compiled his streak, another Cup Series ride opened up. On September 1, The Athletic reported that Legacy Motor Club would part ways with John Hunter Nemechek at the end of the 2026 season. Motorsport America reported that Berry was immediately considered a front-runner to fill the vacancy.
Legacy officially confirmed on September 2 that Nemechek would not return. Nemechek had only one top-five and two top-ten finishes through the 2026 season, while sitting 27th in points following Daytona. On September 8, one week after the news of Nemechek’s departure broke, Legacy Motor Club announced that Josh Berry would pilot the No. 42 Toyota in 2027.
In Legacy Motor Club’s official press release, co-owner Jimmie Johnson lauded Berry’s credentials, citing “his experience, perspective, and wisdom”.
Not only did Berry’s results improve his chances in the Cup Series, but his results came precisely at the right time. After spending most of the summer without a ride for 2027, Berry proved to Jimmie Johnson and Legacy Motor Club that he still belonged in the Cup Series.
Six consecutive top-ten finishes transformed Berry from a driver searching for a ride into one of the most notable free agents in the NASCAR Cup Series. Now, Berry will begin his fourth consecutive full-time Cup Series season with Legacy Motor Club. Ironically, Wood Brothers Racing’s decision to move on from Berry may have ostensibly provided the pressure needed for Berry to produce the very stretch of racing that ultimately saved his career.
