Know Your NASCAR: The Woods

By Jenny Zimmerman, Special to Turner Sports Interactive June 6, 2001
1:21 PM EDT (1721 GMT)

When fans talk about the famous Wood brothers, which of the four do you suppose they might be referring to?

The legendary Wood Brothers Racing is perhaps the oldest, most storied enterprise in NASCAR's big show today. The team was founded in 1949 by stock-car racing pioneers Glen and Leonard Wood, who enjoyed their Grand National (now Winston Cup) debut on May 17, 1953, in Martinsville, Va. Glen was the driver and Leonard was the chief mechanic, and over the next three decades, the brothers would craft a formidable racing force.

Glen and Leonard recently passed the torch to two more brothers, Eddie and Len -- Glen's sons. Glen's daughter, Kim Wood Hall, is the team manager. Glen and Leonard remain as part-owners.

Natives of Stuart, Va., Glen and Leonard Wood began with Sportsman and Modifieds before joining the Grand National circuit.

Throughout his seven years as a driver, Glen collected four wins, 14 poles, 23 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes -- but before hopping in the driver's seat, he planned to spend his life owning and running a mill. It didn't take long for other drivers to come up with Glen's nickname, "Woodchopper."

To his credit, Leonard is known as the forefather of the organized pit stop. The team's original pit crew was made up of family and friends. Jimmy Clark benefited from the team's services in winning the 1965 Indianapolis 500.

In its 52 years, WBR is the winningest team in Ford Racing history and third in NASCAR history with 97 victories. The team boasts a NASCAR-record 80 superspeedway wins, including 12 at Daytona (four 500s, eight 400s).

WBR alumni include 1963 Daytona 500 winner Tiny Lund, Parnelli Jones, Dale Jarrett, Neil Bonnett, David Pearson, Kyle Petty, Morgan Shepherd, Michael Waltrip, Bobby Rahal, Marvin Panch, Junior Johnson, Donnie Allison, A.J. Foyt, Buddy Baker and three-time Winston Cup champion Cale Yarborough.

Prior to the start of the 2001 season, WBR had pocketed more than $18 million in NASCAR competition. Pearson -- noted as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR's first 50 years -- sent WBR to Victory Lane a team-record 11 times in 1973 and 10 times in 1976.

This season, Elliott Sadler -- in the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford Taurus -- gave WBR another victory when he started 38th and won the Food City 500 on March 25 at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was WBR's first win since 1993.