The story
Car No. 21 history
The Wood Brothers Racing Team was founded in 1950 by brothers from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia. Walter and Ada Wood, who owned a farm near Woolwine and Stuart, Virginia, had five sons—Glen, Leonard, Delano, Clay, and Ray Lee—and one daughter, Crystal. The sons worked with their father as mechanics, farmers, and lumbermen. Glen Wood cut timber and hauled lumber to local sawmills, and the brothers honed their auto mechanic skills in their father's garage. Inspired by Curtis Turner, a local sawmill operator and champion racecar driver known for his "win or crash" style, the brothers formed a stock car racing team. Turner, who later co-owned Charlotte Motor Speedway, eventually became a driver for the Wood Brothers.
In the early 1950s, the Wood Brothers needed a driver, so they asked their friend John Conway, who declined. They then recruited fellow lumberman Chris Williams. Back then, race teams drove their cars to the track, raced, and then drove them home. Williams and the Wood Brothers bought their first car for $50, leading them to number it 50—years before adopting their iconic No. 21. Chris Williams and Glen Wood each drove in a few races for the team, which included Williams, his brothers, and the Wood brothers. They found success, winning at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC, and Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, VA.
After their early success, Chris Williams sold his share of the team to Glen Wood to focus on his lumber business. The Wood Brothers then enlisted local friends and family, including Wood's cousin Ralph Edwards, to fill team roles. Over the years, the Wood Brothers Racing Team grew from a weekend hobby into a full-time business. Glen and Leonard worked full-time building and preparing cars, while the other brothers and crew helped on nights and weekends outside their regular jobs. Their first permanent shop was located at the edge of Stuart, Virginia.
The team permanently adopted the No. 21, making it as iconic in NASCAR as Petty's No. 43 and Earnhardt's No. 3. Drawn by the big cash prizes at Superspeedway races in cities like Daytona, Charlotte, and Darlington, the Wood Brothers shifted focus. Glen Wood stepped back from driving, and they began hiring proven winners to drive the No. 21 Ford at various tracks.
The team quickly rose to compete at the highest levels, achieving victories through the mechanical genius of brothers, relatives, and friends. Leonard Wood's talent in engine work soon earned the team acclaim, rivaling only the legendary Holman-Moody engines and the Petty racing dynasty of Lee and Richard Petty.
Innovation
The Wood Brothers revolutionized motor racing by inventing the modern pit stop. In the early days of racing, drivers would pull into the pits, turn off their cars, step out, and sometimes smoke a cigarette while the crew changed tires and serviced the vehicle. The Wood Brothers realized that minimizing time off the track could improve their position. They developed the pit stop common today, which is used in all types of racing.
As other teams noticed the Wood Brothers' success with efficient pit stops, they quickly adopted the Wood method. The Wood team, however, continued to refine pit stops into a precise, mechanical ballet, maintaining their advantage over competitors. Other racing organizations took note of the Wood Brothers' pit stop innovations. In 1965, Ford invited the Wood Brothers team to the Indianapolis 500 to support the Lotus-Ford team. Their speed and precision in the pits contributed to Jim Clark's victory in the 1965 Indianapolis 500.
1960s international success
After their Indianapolis 500 win, Wood Brothers Racing gained international acclaim as motorsport pioneers and leaders. Featured in Sports Illustrated and other major media, they built a top-tier roster of drivers, with victories rivaled only by Richard Petty.
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The Wood Brothers signed a long-term deal with Purolator as the primary sponsor for the No. 21 car. Their drivers through the mid-1960s included top stock car racers like Curtis Turner, Marvin Panch, Fireball Roberts, Parnelli Jones, Tiny Lund, Junior Johnson, Speedy Thompson, Fred Lorenzen, and Cale Yarborough.
The Wood Brothers fielded a second car, the No. 121, in select races, even entering three cars in one event. Open-wheel star Dan Gurney, known for his success in Indycar and Formula One, drove the No. 121 on NASCAR road courses for the team. The Gurney-Wood pairing dominated, winning every race Gurney entered for them, including the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside International Raceway, Moreno Valley, California in 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, and 1968. In the 1968 season, the Wood Brothers earned over $160,000 ($1,544,910 Today) in single-season winnings—a remarkable amount for that era in any form of auto racing.
Dominance
In the early 1970s, the Wood Brothers maintained their success with the No. 21 car, known for its lightning-quick pit stops and powerful engines, which posed a formidable challenge to competitors on the NASCAR circuit. Legendary drivers like Donnie Allison and A.J. Foyt, an open-wheel Indy 500 winner, also took turns behind the wheel of the Wood car.
As the team participated in more events and traveled greater distances, the personnel in the wood shop began to change. Glen Wood emerged as the team's leader and patriarch. His young sons, Eddie and Len, started working in the shop in menial labor roles. Glen's brother, Delano Wood, became one of the greatest pit crew members, with unmatched skill as a jackman even today. Additionally, family friends, including Cecil Wilson from neighboring Lawsonville, North Carolina, soon joined the team.
Modern era
David Pearson (1972–1979)
In 1972, David Pearson became the full-time driver of the No. 21 car, launching one of motorsports' most successful runs. From 1972 to 1979, the team competed in 143 races, securing 46 wins and 51 poles, with race earnings exceeding $1.3 million.
In 1976, with Pearson still driving, the Wood Brothers achieved NASCAR's "Triple Crown" by winning the Daytona 500 at Daytona, the World 600 at Charlotte, and the Southern 500 at Darlington. Due to their remarkable success and exemplary qualities as role models and ambassadors of the sport, the Wood Brothers were invited to the White House in the late 1970s at the request of President Jimmy Carter. This occasion marked a historic moment for the brothers and their friends from the small town of Stuart, Virginia.
As NASCAR gained prominence as an emerging sport, the Wood team quickly earned a reputation as one of the best. They were often celebrated and compared to top athletes from other sports, such as baseball legend Reggie Jackson, football stars Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris, and basketball icons Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Due to growth and increased demand, the No. 21 team relocated from its former shop to a new facility at the junction of Dobyns Road and Mayo Court in Stuart, where it would remain for many years.
Neil Bonnett (1979–1982)
The 1980s brought significant changes to NASCAR and the No. 21 team. Driver David Pearson departed, making way for rising star Neil Bonnett from Hueytown, Alabama. Bonnett was part of the "Alabama Gang," which included notable drivers like Bobby and Donnie Allison, as well as later members Davey Allison and Hut Stricklin.
Bonnett and the Wood Brothers team enjoyed a successful partnership that spanned three and a half seasons and 83 races, achieving nine victories and over $700,000 ($2,275,483 today) in winnings. During the "Bonnett Years," Purolator's longtime president, Paul Cameron, retired, leading to the conclusion of the Wood Brothers' long-term sponsorship with Purolator. This marked the end of one of the most enduring and iconic sponsorships in NASCAR history.
The No. 21 car was sponsored by National Engineer, a California-based company specializing in research and development across various industries. The company was owned by the Warner Hodgdon, who prominently featured his name on the No. 21 car as its main sponsor. This sponsorship was considered one of the richest deals in NASCAR history, further solidifying Wood's status as a leader in the sport. Many original team members, including brothers Clay and Ray Lee Wood, have retired from racing, choosing to focus on their families and other careers in Patrick County.
As the number of race events increased and the demands of running a team intensified each season, the Wood Brothers hired younger team members to fill the gaps. This included the son of original crew member Jimmy Edwards and the Wood Brothers' cousin, Ralph Edwards. They also welcomed Curtis Quesinberry and Hylton Tatum from Stuart, along with another young relative, Butch Moricle. Additional personnel were recruited from nearby Virginia towns such as Danville and Roanoke. During these years, Kim Wood, the only daughter of Glen and Bernece Wood, emerged in an important role. While still in high school, she began handling administrative tasks for the team, assisting her mother with secretarial duties, travel arrangements, and the business aspects of team operations.
Buddy Baker (1983–1984)
In the mid-1980s, NASCAR entered what is now known as the modern era of the sport. Television coverage evolved from sporadic broadcasts on ABC's Wide World of Sports to full-time coverage of the Daytona 500 by CBS and live race broadcasts by emerging cable networks like ESPN and TBS. NASCAR secured permanent corporate sponsorship from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, leading to a rebranding of the sport's top series from the Grand National Division to the Winston Cup Series. Notably, R.J. Reynolds, the company's founder, was born and raised in Patrick County, just a few miles from the Wood Brothers team's headquarters.
The Modern Era marked the first comprehensive quest for points championships among most teams. Since the 1950s, many teams participated in only select races. However, to compete for the series title and its substantial cash prize, teams were now required to participate in all events within the scheduled season. The Wood Brothers made the decision to transition to a full-time racing schedule, which significantly increased the team's workload and required greater investments of time, money, and manpower. As part of this new commitment, Warner Hodgdon and National Engineering departed as sponsors, and Valvoline was brought on as the team's primary patron.
In 1983, legendary driver Buddy Baker was hired to replace the departing Neil Bonnett in the No. 21 car. However, he and the Woods team struggled for the first time in many years, lasting only two seasons together. Despite this, they achieved a notable victory at the Firecracker 400 at Daytona that same year. Baker and the Woods parted ways, along with Valvoline as the sponsor. International star driver Bobby Rahal from the IndyCar series briefly filled Baker's vacant seat for one race.
Kyle Petty (1985–1988)
The 1985 season was historic for NASCAR as young Kyle Petty, the grandson of legendary Lee Petty and son of series dominator Richard Petty, was hired to drive the No. 21 car full-time. This marked a unique partnership between the two most successful racing families in NASCAR history.
This also marked the first addition of a new sponsor to the Wood Brothers team. For the 1985 season, the team partnered with a trio of corporate sponsors: 7-Eleven, Citgo, and Chief Auto Parts. As part of this marketing strategy, the Wood Brothers were required to relinquish their iconic No. 21 car number and adopt the No. 7 to align with the 7-Eleven sponsorship. This change sparked significant discussion among the team's fans, who associated the No. 21 with the legendary history of the Virginia-based team. This also marked the emergence of the second generation of the Wood Brothers, Eddie and Len, who had taken on increased responsibilities within the team over the years. They were now effectively calling the shots on race day, fostering an "anything goes" attitude that was embraced by the entire team.
By this time, many of the older team members had retired, including Delano Wood, the original member and brother. He retired to focus on his burgeoning lumber business and to spend more time with his family and church. Most races were held on Sundays, which left little opportunity for regular worship and family attendance at church.
Kyle Petty achieved victory in his second season with the Wood Brothers at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia.In 1987, the team returned to their traditional No. 21 car and won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Just as the Petty-Wood partnership was starting to flourish, Kyle Petty was drawn to a new opportunity with SABCO Racing, owned by Felix Sabates. Unable to turn down the lucrative offer, Petty left the Wood Brothers after four seasons and 115 races. During their time together, the team won two races and earned over $1.3 million.
Neil Bonnett (1989–1990)
After Petty's departure and a brief three-race stint with substitute driver Tommy Ellis, the Wood Brothers hired their former driver Neil Bonnett to once again pilot the No. 21 car. This reunion was seen as a potential turning point for the Woods as they sought to reclaim their position at the top of the sport. Both Bonnett and the Wood Brothers were optimistic about their future together, with the chemistry from their earlier successes still evident.
After just 31 races together, spanning one full season and the start of another, Bonnett suffered serious injuries in a crash at Darlington Raceway. This left him questioning whether he could race again, and he parted ways with the Wood team, leaving an empty seat that was later filled by Dale Jarrett. During this period, sponsorship shuffling became common across all NASCAR teams. Recognizing the immense value of NASCAR sponsorship, major companies like Pepsi, Mello Yello, Ford Motorcraft, and Procter & Gamble secured lucrative deals with the sport's top teams.
The face of the sport was also changing. Alongside the full schedule and championship points races, a new generation of drivers, including Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, and Geoff Bodine, had become powerful stars and champions. During this era, young drivers like Davey Allison, Ward and Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, and Bobby Labonte were emerging as the sport's future, making their way up through the lower-ranked Busch Grand National Series.
New technologies and innovations began to dominate the sport, transforming NASCAR teams into highly organized operations run like corporations or major sports franchises. Prominent names such as Hendrick Motorsports, Penske Racing, Roush Racing, SABCO, Larry Hedrick Motorsports, and Robert Yates Racing emerged, overtaking the dominance previously held by teams like Junior Johnson, Melling Racing, and Petty Enterprises.
The Wood Brothers expanded their team to keep up with NASCAR's growth, adding more employees and assigning some to work in the shop and others to the race-day crew. New team members, such as Bennie Belcher, Butch Mitchell, and outside engine builder Tommy Turner, helped bring the team in line with other NASCAR competitors.
Dale Jarrett (1990–1991)
By 1990, the Wood Brothers returned to the No. 21 Ford with Citgo as their sponsor. After losing Neil Bonnett early in the season, Eddie and Len Wood needed a replacement driver. They turned to their longtime friend Dale Jarrett, who was ready for his chance in the Winston Cup Series. As the son of former NASCAR champion and broadcaster Ned Jarrett, Dale Jarrett had grown up in the sport alongside the Wood Brothers.
In their first full season together in 1991, Jarrett brought the Wood Brothers' No. 21 car to victory lane at Michigan, narrowly defeating Davey Allison in one of NASCAR's closest finishes. This victory demonstrated that the Wood Brothers team still had what it took to win and marked a significant milestone for Jarrett, providing his first career win and serving as a launching pad for one of the most successful careers in modern NASCAR history.
The Michigan victory upheld a unique tradition for the Wood Brothers team: every rookie driver who had completed a full season in their No. 21 car had secured at least one win. From 1953 to 2002, every driver who raced a full season with the Wood Brothers had achieved at least one victory, though in one instance, the win was not in a points-paying race.
The Wood-Jarrett partnership was regarded as one of the most promising in NASCAR. However, Jarrett was soon drawn away by Washington Commanders coach and Joe Gibbs, who established a new team Joe Gibbs Racing with the financial resources to attract Jarrett. Leaving the No. 21 car, Jarrett began driving the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevy, a move that led to his first Daytona 500 victory.
Jarrett's tenure in the No. 21 car was brief, spanning only 53 races across two seasons, but it resulted in one victory and over $600,000 in earnings. This experience further solidified the Wood Brothers team's reputation as a premier organization in NASCAR, known for nurturing future superstars.
Morgan Shepherd (1992–1995)
After Jarrett's departure, the Woods turned to veteran driver Morgan Shepherd to fill the seat for the 1992 season. Shepherd had been a reliable performer in the top series throughout his career and was a strong championship contender. His consistent top finishes would bring stability to the team as they adapted to the evolving landscape of the sport.
The new decade ushered in significant changes in NASCAR, characterized by a greater emphasis on technology and engineering. Engineers became a standard presence within teams, and race-day crews began training like professional athletes. In fact, many teams even hired professional athletes to assist with car servicing during pit stops. The cost of racing increased significantly, and its appeal doubled each year. NASCAR was now broadcast live internationally and enjoyed popularity comparable to traditional stick-and-ball sports among fans and advertisers.
Team turnover became frequent as Eddie and Len searched for the ideal combination of chemistry to succeed. They added new members from nearby Mount Airy, North Carolina, including Rick Simmons and Mike "Andretti" Smith. They also hired paint and body specialists Terry Hill and Chris Martin. Meanwhile, longtime members Butch Moricle, Butch Mitchell, Hylton Tatum, and Cecil Wilson had become seasoned veterans on the team.
Glen Wood's daughter, Kim, emerged as a competent leader within the team, excelling in her role. Alongside managing the business and administrative functions, she operated as a "one-woman show," handling all bookings, reservations, accommodations, travel, and financial matters for the team. While other teams, like Richard Childress Racing, employed a full-time staff of a dozen administrative workers, Kim demonstrated her professionalism in this field, matching her brothers' expertise in the mechanical and competitive aspects of the team.
By this time, Kim Wood had married crew member Terry Hall and became Kim Wood-Hall. Terry Hall, a crucial member of the team, served as a general mechanic and truck driver. He replaced the legendary Delano Wood as jackman on race day after Delano's retirement several years earlier. Hailing from Mount Airy, Terry also helped recruit new team members through his connections in the area.
The No. 21 team continued to innovate in the sport they helped build by experimenting with various changes. They had previously outsourced much of their engine work and, during this period, contracted Robert Yates Racing to supply engine parts for the No. 21. Additionally, they implemented weight training routines for crew members and enhanced their use of technology during race day competition.
Truck No. 19 history
The team ran a single race in 2006 at Atlanta, with Kelly Bires driving the No. 19 truck. Bires started in 29th place and finished 19th.
Truck No.09/No. 20 history
The No. 20 truck made its debut in 2006 at the GM Flex Fuel 250, sponsored by the United States Air Force in partnership with JTG Racing. Jon Wood drove the truck at Daytona and Fontana, finishing 16th and 9th, respectively. Bobby East competed in one race at Atlanta, where he finished 23rd. For the remainder of the season, JTG Racing's development driver Marcos Ambrose took over, earning one pole position and two third-place finishes. In 2007,á the truck's number changed to No. 09. Joey Clanton, who brought Zaxby's as a sponsor, shared driving duties with former Busch Series veteran Stacy Compton. Clanton went on and win ROTY that year despite only running a few races.
A year later, in 2008, Clanton brought both the No. 09 and Zaxby's sponsorship to Roush Fenway Racing, which allowed JTG Racing/Wood Brothers to revert to using the No. 20. However, the truck team only lasted for eight races before shutting down due to a lack of funding.
Truck No. 21 history
The No. 21 truck debuted in 2006 with sponsorship from Edy's Ice Cream and State Fair Corn Dogs at Daytona, driven initially by Stacy Compton for the first two races. Afterward, Jon Wood took over driving duties at Atlanta, followed by Bobby East, who drove the truck for the remainder of the season and achieved a best finish of eleventh place.
East was not retained for the 2007 season. The team planned to run development driver Kelly Bires in nineteen races, with Mark Martin driving the remaining six. Late in the season, Bires moved up to the Busch Series, replacing Jon Wood, who took over his spot in the No. 21 truck.
In 2008, Jon and Keven Wood shared the No. 21 truck, which was sponsored by the United States Air Force. However, in December of that year, Keven Wood announced in an interview that the team had ceased its Truck operation due to a lack of sponsorship.
From Wikipedia’s article on Wood Brothers Racing, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3