NASCAR O'Reilly Series champion Jesse Love has been linked with a full-time drive in the Cup Series next season.
Wood Brothers Racing released an official statement this week confirming that they would not be exercising their option on Josh Berry for 2027 after the driver of the No. 21 Ford revealed on a media call that he would not be with the team next season.
“We thank Josh Berry for all he’s done for Wood Brothers Racing and our partners over the last two seasons," the official statement read. "Josh has been a great teammate and we look forward to a strong finish to this season. We wish Josh all the best moving forward.
"We will announce who will be driving the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in 2027 soon and we are excited for what lies ahead for Wood Brothers Racing.”
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Jesse Love linked with Wood Brothers Racing
Naturally, that last sentence got the NASCAR community talking about who will now be in the No. 21 for the 2027 Cup Series campaign. Love's name has been prominent among NASCAR insiders, including FOX Sports' Bob Pockrass.
"Josh Berry confirmed June 10 that he will not return to the team after this season. He sits 30th in the standings. Jesse Love, the defending O'Reilly Series champion, is a candidate for this ride," Pockrass wrote on FOX Sports.
Elsewhere, Jordan Bianchi also discussed Love as a potential candidate for the seat on the Dirty Mo Overdrive YouTube channel, although he also stressed there were others in the frame.
"Jesse Love is a name you're going to hear a lot about," Bianchi said. "Jesse wants to get in the Cup Series, he's been very open about this. He believes he has the talent and ability to be in the Cup Series.
"And you talk to people in the garage and they are high on him. They think that he is a driver who, given the right situation, could come in and produce.
"We know that Jesse's had conversations with multiple teams on the Cup side about future opportunities for 2027, it's just a matter of where Jesse's going to slot in and whether it's a right fit or not.
"But this would check a lot of boxes for Wood Brothers Racing. They get a young, hungry, proven driver who is ready, chomping at the bit to prove himself at the next level."
Jesse Love's career so far
So far in his career, Love has racked up 93 races across NASCAR's national series, with the vast majority of those (82) coming in the O'Reilly Series, where he won the championship in 2025.
In those 82 O'Reilly Series starts, Love has three victories under his belt, also registering 22 top fives and 50 top 10s.
In his seven Cup Series starts, Love's best finish to date was 24th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 2025 Brickyard 400.
With an announcement from Wood Brothers Racing due 'soon', it will certainly be fascinating to see whether or not it is Love who gets the nod.
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