Wood Brothers Racing, one of NASCAR’s most historic teams, will soon be making a driver change, with Josh Berry announcing Wednesday that this season will be his last driving the famed No. 21 car.
Berry said he learned of the decision Tuesday and was still processing the news when he spoke to reporters Wednesday morning. He said he was not caught off guard because he did not have a contract with the team beyond this season.
“You never know what kind of opportunities come about and where it goes from here,” Berry said. “It’s just tough to have happen, but at the same time, I’ve been extremely fortunate to get the opportunities that I’ve had and been extremely fortunate to drive for the Wood Brothers and this team. Unfortunately, it’s going a different direction, but you never know what doors might open up.”
The team has not named a replacement for Berry.
Berry, 35, was signed in 2025 by Wood Brothers, which was hoping to turn around its fortunes after a few down seasons. He fulfilled that objective in his first year, scoring a win at Las Vegas in just his fifth start and helping Wood Brothers earn an unexpected playoff berth. That this all came as team celebrated its 75th season in NASCAR seemed to signal the sport’s oldest team was poised for bigger things.
However, last season’s success has been absent for much of the 2026 season. Berry ranks 30th in the points standings and has just two top-10 finishes through 15 races. The downturn, in part, coincides with manufacturer Ford and partner Team Penske — which shares a close alliance with Wood Brothers — each lacking consistent speed to challenge Chevrolet- and Toyota-backed organizations.
“We’re going to work hard to try to land on our feet and find something; don’t really have any expectations or plans for what that might be,” Berry said. “Certainly, open to really anything. (I) still feel like I’m the same guy that won Las Vegas. I’m still the same guy that nearly won at New Hampshire in the playoffs. … It’s been a tough year, but we’ll work through it and try to find what’s out there.”
Founded by Glen and Leonard Wood in 1950, Wood Brothers have a long and proud NASCAR history. The team has won five Daytona 500s and both Glen and Leonard Wood are in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Due to the team’s success and longevity, the No. 21 car number has become iconic, alongside the likes of Richard Petty’s No. 43, Dale Earnhardt’s No. 3, Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 and Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48.
“We thank Josh Berry for all he’s done for Wood Brothers Racing and our partners over the last two seasons,” the team said in a statement. “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.”