Josh Berry hoped his phone would ring with an offer from a Cup Series team after qualifying second for the Dollar Tree 301 this past weekend. Finishing third in the race may have only strengthened those hopes. There had even been speculation that Richard Childress Racing could be interested in signing Berry for 2027. However, veteran reporter Jordan Bianchi’s revelation on August 24 may have put an end to those possibilities.
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Bianchi took to X to write that Richard Childress Racing will go ahead with Austin Hill on their No. 33 team for the 2027 season. “Hill [will be] racing full-time in the Cup Series in 2027,” the Athletic journalist wrote, before revealing that an announcement could be made as early as the afternoon of 24 August.
Hill joined RCR as the replacement for Kyle Busch after the two-time Cup Series champion tragically passed away in May earlier this year. He has worked hard to steady a team still dealing with the loss of one of its beloved drivers while also navigating performance-related challenges. However, the results have not been in Hill’s favor.
He’s started 14 Cup Series races in 2026, but hasn’t had a single top-five or top-ten result. His average starting position has been 25.2 with an average finishing position of 28.5. Many had expected him to act as a temporary, with RCR finding a better alternative for the next season. And Berry seemed perfect for that role.
Wood Brothers Racing announced in June that Berry would be replaced by Jesse Love in the No. 21 Ford. Since then, reports have suggested that Berry has appeared increasingly downbeat, with his chances of securing a Cup Series seat for next season looking slim. Michael McCarthy, better known as Large from the Rubbin is Racing podcast, even described Berry as looking like the “loneliest person in the room” ahead of the Cook Out 400 at Richmond. Now, following Bianchi’s latest revelation, whatever hope Berry had of staying in the Cup Series may have all but disappeared.
There are still open spots on the 2027 grid at Kaulig Racing and Legacy Motor Club. However, there are few signs so far that either team is considering Berry as an option. It will be particularly difficult to digest for Berry too, considering how he had also started delivering results-wise over the last few weeks.
In the first 21 races of the season, Berry had just two top-10 finishes. Now, he has four in a row over the last four weeks. He finished fourth in Iowa earlier this month, and third in New Hampshire this past Sunday, marking his best result of the 2026 season.
Berry’s recent performances have shown that he still has plenty to offer at NASCAR’s highest level. But with his Cup Series options rapidly dwindling, he may need a miracle to remain on the grid in 2027. As he suggested previously, a move to the O’Reilly or Truck Series could ultimately be the next step in his career.