A New Era for Wood Brothers Racing
Jesse Love, the 2025 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion, is poised to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2027 behind the wheel of the No. 21 Ford Mustang for Wood Brothers Racing.
Early Success and Future Prospects
The 16‑year‑old from Menlo Park, California, burst onto the national stage by capturing the ARCA Menards Series title in 2023, becoming the youngest champion in series history. He followed that breakthrough with a second consecutive O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship and currently sits second in the 2026 standings.
Wood Brothers Racing, NASCAR’s longest‑running active team, will field Love’s entry as part of a technical alliance with Team Penske and the backing of Ford Racing. The partnership leverages the team’s long‑standing pedigree, its more than 100 premier‑series victories, and a deep reservoir of engineering expertise.
Team Penske’s leadership highlighted the synergy between the organizations, noting that Love’s proven record and hunger for victory align perfectly with the team’s championship aspirations. Meanwhile, Wood Brothers Racing president Jon Wood expressed confidence that Love’s talent will translate into immediate competitiveness on the Cup stage.
Love’s first Cup start is slated for the 2027 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, a race that will mark the culmination of a rapid ascent that began in the grassroots circuits of his early career.