Wood Brothers Racing is reportedly in talks to sign driver Josh Berry for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series season, which begins in 2025. This news comes after fallout from Stewart-Haas Racing’s decision to downsize, resulting in their shutdown after the 2024 season. With Tony Stewart stepping back, Gene Haas has opted to keep one charter to run a single-car team without his involvement. Cole Custer, son of SHR executive Joe Custer, is expected to fill that seat, leaving other SHR drivers searching for new opportunities for the next year.
Josh Berry, who is represented by Harvick’s KHI Management agency, is likely to join Wood Brothers Racing, NASCAR’s longest-running team. The team currently runs the No. 21 Ford with Harrison Burton at the wheel, but his future with the team after this year remains uncertain. Wood Brothers has been in negotiations with Berry for weeks and are moving towards finalizing an agreement. Sponsorship details have not been disclosed yet.
Berry’s move to Wood Brothers would keep him in the Ford camp as the team has an alliance with Team Penske and was founded in 1950. Berry, a Tennessee native, was discovered by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2021 and won five times in Xfinity Series before moving up to the premier series with SHR this year where he has shown promise on the track including a second place qualifying position last weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. Ryan Preece another SHR driver is also represented by KHI management agency along with over half a dozen other drivers in NASCAR . This potential move marks another shift in the NASCAR landscape as teams adjust to changing circumstances.