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NEWTON, IOWA – JUNE 15: Josh Berry, driver of the #4 Overstock.com Ford, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway on June 15, 2024 in Newton, Iowa. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
On Wednesday, July 7, it was announced that Josh Berry will race for Wood Brothers Racing in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. Berry will replace Harrison Burton in the No. 21 Ford.
Berry was previously contracted with Stewart-Haas Racing. After SHR announced it would shutter operations at the end of the 2024 season, Berry was left in limbo. Now, Berry will be able to race the rest of the season under the SHR banner knowing that he has a spot on the grid next year.
GettyNo. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing
Josh Berry & His Lengthy Resume
Berry is currently in his rookie season in the Cup Series and is in the running for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Honors.
Following Kevin Havrick’s retirement, Berry made his full-time Cup Series debut, but he’s been a familiar face around the NASCAR circuit before his Cup Series start. Berry won five races in the Xfinity Series and was the 2020 champion in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. Previously, Berry had also driven for Spire Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports, and Legacy Motor Club in select Cup Series races. Berry has also appeared in the Cars Late Model Stock Tour, the ARCA Menards Series, and the ARCA Menards East Series.
This season, Berry is ranked 19th in the driver standings, with 368 points, 4 top 10s, and 2 top-fives.
GettyHarrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing & Harrison Burton
Wood Brothers Racing has graced the NASCAR track since 1950 and carries a legacy of over 1,800 race starts and 99 wins. The team’s ownership has always remained within the Wood family, with the third-generation owners having just taken over the helm of operations less than 65 days ago. Now, with Berry’s confirmation as a driver for next season, it’s clear that the team is entering into a new era.
But where does that leave Harrison Burton?
Burton has been the full-time driver in the No.21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing since 2022. This season, Burton is ranked 33 in the driver standings, with 217 points and just 1 top-10 finish.
Burton may have the racing pedigree (he’s the son of retired Cup Series driver Jeff Burton, and cousin to Xfinity Series driver, Jeb Burton), but he’s no longer Wood Brothers’ top pick. Since driving full-time, he’s languished in the standings. His career-best Cup Series driver rank was 27th, in 2022. Last season, he was ranked 31st.
Berry has a ton of experience under his belt and has made a stunning debut in his first full-season racing in the Cup Series. Looking at the statistics, it may seem like Wood Brothers Racing is making more of a lateral move between Burton and Berry, but Berry is in his rookie season; his trajectory for increased performance is much higher.
And, with Wood Brothers Racing having entered into a new phase with their changed ownership group, Berry’s addition to the team in 2025 belies an exciting new start for the team.
Katherine Pitré covers the NHL and NASCAR for Heavy.com. She has worked for the NHL as an international producer, covered the San Jose Sharks for SB Nation and served as a board member for She Scores Media. More about Katherine Pitré
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