Josh Berry will race Wood Brothers No. 21 after closing of Stewart-Haas team

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR Cup Series rookie Josh Berry has signed to drive the Wood Brothers' No. 21 car next season after the shuttering of his current Stewart-Haas Racing team.

The announcement came Wednesday. The team said Berry signed a multi-year contact. He takes over the No. 21 ride from Harrison Burton.

Berry joined Stewart-Haas Racing this season and drove the No. 4 machine for retiring past series champion Kevin Harvick.

After a slow start, Berry has gained some momentum with four top-10 finishes in his past seven events. Those included two thirds, at Darlington in May and at New Hampshire last month.

Berry, 33, said the Wood Brothers have made a major impact on the sport and he's pleased to become a part of that.

“It's an honor and a privilege to be a small part of carrying on that legacy,” Berry said.

Wood Brothers Racing president Jon Wood said adding Berry was a “significant milestone for our team.”

“Josh brings a wealth of talent and determination, evident through his success in every level of competition, from grassroots NASCAR to present day,” Wood said.

Berry's crew chief at Stewart-Haas, Rodney Childers, congratulated the driver on his move. Childers said on social media that Berry worked hard to succeed and was proud that the No. 4 team showed what he could do as a driver.

“He's a winner and has a huge future,” Childers said.

___

AP NASCAR: https://apnews.com/hub/nascar-racing