After a ton of speculation and rumors, it is official today. Jesse Love Jr. will make the climb to full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition. Jesse will take the place of Josh Berry behind the wheel of the legendary Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

Love is the reigning O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion and currently drives the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing. I heard at Michigan that he had requested his release from RCR in the weeks prior, but I could not confirm the rumor.

Love became the youngest ARCA Menards Series champion at 16 in 2023 and 18 ARCA combined victories before moving to RCR for 2024. Love would earn Rookie of the Year, a championship, and 3 victories in the series. Today, he sits 2nd in the points behind the incredibly dominant Justin Allgaier.

The Wood Brothers have managed to break their winless streak over the last few years to win in back-to-back seasons in 2024 & 2025, their 100th and 101st Cup wins. Sadly, the team has not seen much luck outside of those wins.

“Driving the No. 21 for the Wood Brothers 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.”

Jon Wood, president of Wood Brothers Racing, said, “Jesse has accomplished a lot at a young age… 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.”

Image: Patrick Vallely