Josh Berry has been announced as the new driver for NASCAR’s longest running Cup organisation, taking over as the new full-time driver in the Wood Brothers #21 Ford next season.
The 33-year-old will replace second-generation NASCAR driver Harrison Burton, who joined the Wood Brothers in 2021 and has one top-five and five top-10 finishes in 92 career starts.
Berry became available after SHR co-owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas announced in May their plans to shutter the four-team Cup operation at the end of the 2024 season.
Haas later decided to retain one of the Cup teams and two Xfinity teams and run it under the Haas Factory Team banner in 2025, although it remains unclear who will drive for the Formula 1 team boss.
Berry's current SHR team-mate Chase Briscoe has already been announced as the replacement for the retiring Martin Truex Jr at Joe Gibbs Racing, while it also has Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece on its roster.
After a successful career in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports that included five wins, Berry stepped up to the Cup Series full-time in 2024 following Kevin Harvick's retirement.
He was a substitute driver at Hendrick Motorsports last year when drivers Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman suffered injuries, taking his career-best runner-up finish in Cup filling in for Elliott at Richmond, and also stepped in at Legacy Motor Club for the suspended Gragson.
Currently 19th in the Cup standings, with all four of his top-10 finishes coming in the last seven races, Berry will join a team that was started in 1950 by family patriarch Glen Wood.
The team founder raced on the beach in Daytona, won four races in what would become the Cup series and was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.
Several of NASCAR’s Greatest Drivers have driven for Wood Brothers Racing, which recorded its 99th and most recent victory at Pocono in 2017 with current Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney.
Since in 2015, the Wood Brothers has benefitted from a technical alliance with Team Penkse, which includes driver development and utilisation of Penske personnel.
It is unclear what the future holds for Burton, whose father Jeff won 21 races in Cup between 1997 and 2008.
“Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working with a multitude of successful drivers, and now having the opportunity to add Josh Berry to that list is a significant milestone for our team,” said Wood Brothers Racing president Jon Wood.
“Josh brings a wealth of talent and determination, evident thorough his success in every level of competition, from grassroots NASCAR to present day. He fits the values of our team, and we believe that with Josh behind the wheel, we will achieve great things together on the track.”
