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Potential landing spots for Josh Berry in 2027.

It was announced last week that Josh Berry will not be returning to the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford for the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season. Berry is in his second season with the iconic NASCAR team and currently sits 30th in the 2026 Cup Series standings.

In the wake of the announcement, it will be interesting to see where the one-time Cup Series race winner ends up next year. Here, we will take a look at a few potential landing spots for Berry in 2027.

Major Cup teams looking for 2027 shakeup

There are a few top-tier Cup Series teams that could be looking for a change to their driver lineup in 2027.

One of those is Hendrick Motorsports. Alex Bowman, who has been behind the wheel at HMS full-time since 2018, is in a contract year. The driver of the No. 48 has failed to win a Cup race since the Chicago street race in July 2024.

Based on performance, it is a longshot to think Berry will be the next driver of the No. 48. However, do not rule it out. 

With his connections from JR Motorsports in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and having been a relief driver for HMS in the past, Berry could be considered for the seat.

Another team with a ride available in 2027 is Richard Childress Racing. After the tragic passing of Kyle Busch, Austin Hill was made the fill-in driver for the remainder of the 2026 season. Yet, there has not been any plans put in place for 2027.

This could open the door for Berry to take over the No. 33 Chevrolet in 2027 if Childress decides to take a chance on him.

One of the more realistic scenarios for Berry would be Front Row Motorsports. There have been rumblings that FRM could be making a change to their driver lineup in 2027. With his connection to Ford, Berry could easily transition into a FRM car next year.

Return to JR Motorsports in a full-time role

Berry’s success at JR Motorsports in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series played a major role in the Tennessee native breaking into the Cup Series.

During a part-time schedule in 2021, Berry captured his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory at Martinsville Speedway. He would move up to full-time in 2022, winning four races that year and reaching the Championship 4 race at season’s end.

Berry spent another year at JR Motorsports in 2023 before moving up to the Cup Series full-time in 2024.

With his career at a crossroads, returning to JR Motorsports on a full-time basis could do wonders for Berry’s career. Even if it were a part-time role, if Berry can move back down to the NOAPS and impress, it could make for a path back to the Cup Series at a later time.

Berry’s full-time Cup career began in 2024 as he took over for the retiring Kevin Harvick behind the wheel of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. However, the team ceased operations at the end of the season, leaving Berry without a ride.

Berry moved to Wood Brothers Racing in 2025. The partnering immediately found success as Berry won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway early in the campaign, his first and only career win.

Unfortunately for Berry, results have been difficult to come by since that victory.