Jesse Love Lands Iconic Wood Brothers No. 21 Ride For 2027 Cup Season

Love, a 21-year-old blue-chip prospect, will take the reins of the legendary No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing entry in 2027.

NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Jesse Love prepares for the Sports Illustrated Resorts 250 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Saturday, May 30, 2026. | ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jesse Love has found his new racing home for the 2027 season, as the 21-year-old racer will go full-time NASCAR Cup Series racing as the new driver of the iconic No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

On Wednesday, Wood Brothers Racing officially revealed the addition of Love, a move that had become fervent speculation in recent weeks, and only further intensified when Josh Berry revealed last week that he wouldn't return as the driver of the No. 21 next season.

Love, the 2025 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series champion, is proud to make the next step in his NASCAR career.

“Driving the No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing is truly an honor,” said Love. “This team has played such an important role in NASCAR history, and the drivers who have sat behind the wheel of this car are some of the greatest our sport has ever seen. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone at Wood Brothers Racing, Team Penske, and Ford Racing for believing in me – I’m excited to get to work, continue learning from the people around me, and compete at the highest level.”

Love, a native of Menlo Park, CA, has been regarded as one of the blue-chip developmental prospects over the last six years. In 2020, Love began a prolific run in the ARCA Menards Series ranks driving for Toyota Racing, Then, he moved to the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series with Chevrolet, where he also captured a title.

Now, he'll move to Ford Racing in 2026, and Wood Brothers Racing is excited to serve as the team giving Love the chance to take that next step.

“Jesse has accomplished a lot at a young age,” said Jon Wood, president of Wood Brothers Racing. “He’s demonstrated the ability to win races, compete for championships, and handle the expectations that come with racing at a high level. We’re looking forward to giving him the opportunity to take the next step in his career with the No. 21 team.”

To date, Love has made just seven starts in the NASCAR Cup Series ranks, and has a career best finish of 24th, which he achieved in last year's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Love has three victories in 83 starts in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and was the champion of the series in 2025, as he defeated Connor Zilisch for the title by winning the season's final race at Phoenix Raceway. Love ranks second in the O'Reilly Series championship standings this season after 17 races.

Prior to his run in the NASCAR National Series ranks, Love scored back-to-back ARCA Menards Series West championships in 2020 and 2021, and would go on to win the ARCA Menards Series championship in 2023.

Overall, Love amassed 18 victories combined between the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West divisions in 85 career starts.