Jon Wood has 208 starts as a driver across NASCAR’s top three series, but hasn’t competed since 2008. He hasn’t done a lot of iRacing in the years since, but Saturday afternoon he’ll be wheeling the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang at the virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway in the final race of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series.
Wood, now 38, will be driving for Wood Brothers Racing, where he’s now Senior Vice President and Co-owner. He’s taking the place of the team’s regular driver, Matt DiBenedetto, who is missing the Invitational finale because of a prior family commitment. Steve Myers, iRacing’s Executive Vice President and Executive Producer, invited Wood to join the line-up since DiBenedetto was unavailable.
The prospect of returning to competition against the top talent in NASCAR is a bit unnerving for Wood, a two-time winner in the truck series.
“I can’t believe how nervous the thought of being in this race has made me,” he said. “I don’t remember being this wound up for any of my real-world races.”
In addition to getting reacquainted with his iRacing rig, Wood has been busy designing a throw-back paint scheme for Saturday’s race at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. His Mustang will be Candy Apple Red, just like the Ford that the late Marvin Panch drove to two wins at North Wilkesboro, in 1963 and 1964. The paint scheme is also a way of honoring the late Ray Lee Wood, who died May 5. Wood, one of the original members of the Wood Brothers racing team, was a tire changer from the time he and his brothers started racing until the end of the 1965 season. Ray Lee Wood changed front tires for both of Panch’s wins at North Wilkesboro.
“We’ve had some very popular throwback schemes that have already been used so it’s getting tricky to stay original,” Wood said. “My dad [Eddie Wood] chose to honor Marvin Panch’s 1963/64 season and North Wilkesboro win.”
“I’m thrilled and honored but also humbled to be able to pay tribute to both Marvin and Ray Lee. It feels so appropriate given their history at this place.”
As fate would have it, Wood will make his Pro Invitational Series debut at a track where he actually has turned laps, unlike nearly every other entry in Saturday’s race.
After the 2004 season, Wood, driving for Roush Racing at the time, was moving up from the truck series to the circuit now known as the Xfinity Series. Roush set up a tryout at North Wilkesboro to pick a driver to take over the trucks being vacated by Wood and Carl Edwards.
Wood was the first one to drive on the track, which had sat idle since its final Cup race in the Fall of 1996.
“There was so much dust on the track that the truck was slinging rooster tails going down the straightaway,” Wood said, adding that the facility had a surreal feel, having sat basically untouched for nearly 10 years. “There were trees growing up in the grandstands, but there was still toilet paper on the rollers in the bathrooms.”
Even with his brief experience at North Wilkesboro, Wood isn’t setting his sights too high for Saturday.
“I consider myself a part-time part-timer as far as iRacing is concerned,” he said. “I love it, but I don’t have a ton of experience.”
Saturday’s North Wilkesboro 160 is set to get the green flag at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with TV coverage on FOX and FOX Sports 1.
About Motorcraft:
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
About Omnicraft:
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visitwww.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.
About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.
