Josh Berry has spent much of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season trying to answer one question after learning he lost his 2027 seat at Wood Brothers Racing: Where would he go from here? That question came early Tuesday when Legacy Motor Club announced Berry will take over the No. 42 Toyota for the 2027 season, giving the veteran driver another opportunity to establish himself in the Cup Series. However, the timing of the move matters just as much as the announcement itself, because Berry is heading to Legacy after putting together the strongest stretch of his season on the track.
Berry had only two top-10 finishes through the first 21 races this season. Yet, everything began to take a sharp turn with the Hendersonville, Tennessee, native after he posted six consecutive top-10 finishes heading into his new opportunity with Legacy. That run included a third-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where Berry led 73 laps, a career-best for him in the Cup Series, and suddenly the numbers started telling a different story about where his season was headed.
Even so, Berry’s career has never been defined by an easy path to the next stage in NASCAR. He spent years building up his stamina on short tracks before getting his opportunity with JR Motorsports in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2021. Berry won in only his sixth series start at Martinsville Speedway after leading 95 laps, then returned for a full-time campaign in 2022 and added three more victories while reaching the Championship 4.
That stroke of luck is ultimately what carried Berry into the Cup Series. He made 10 starts in 2023 while filling in for Cup regulars, including Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman, while also making two starts for Legacy Motor Club in the No. 42. One of those starts came at Michigan International Speedway, while the other came at Daytona International Speedway, giving Berry an early connection to the organization he will now join full-time.
Berry moved into a full-time Cup spot with Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024 before joining Wood Brothers Racing in 2025. His first Cup victory came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that season, delivering the Wood Brothers their 101st all-time win and adding another important chapter to a career built through patience, opportunity, and persistence. However, Wood Brothers Racing confirmed in June that Berry would not return for the 2027 season.
Now, Berry has another chance to prove himself. Legacy Motor Club will replace John Hunter Nemechek with Berry in the No. 42 Toyota. At the same time, Erik Jones returns to the No. 43 and Riley Herbst takes over the newly added No. 84. The move gives Legacy three full-time Cup entries for the first time in the organization’s history, making Berry’s arrival part of a much larger step forward for the team.
But Berry brings something Legacy needs: experience. He enters his fourth full-time Cup season, owns a Cup victory, and has already shown during the second half of 2026 that he can turn a difficult season around when the opportunity is there. Jimmie Johnson called Berry a proven competitor whose experience, perspective, and ability to remain calm under pressure mean he will carry the team’s weight where it matters.
Berry’s full-time Legacy debut will come at Daytona International Speedway in February 2027. Yet before that green flag falls, he still has races remaining with Wood Brothers Racing and another opportunity to show exactly what Legacy is getting. The next chapter is already set. Now Berry has to make it count.
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