As part of the Wood Brothers’ celebration of 75 years in the sport, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are running a paint scheme this weekend at Michigan International Speedway commemorating the Wood’s victory in the track’s inaugural NASCAR race.
On June 15, 1969, in the Motor State 500, Cale Yarborough drove the Woods’ 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II (A Cale Yarborough Special Edition produced by Ford that was painted much like the one one Mustang Dark Horse that Berry will race this weekend). That race ended with a dramatic, door-to-door shootout between Yarborough and LeeRoy Yarbrough, which ended with Cale speeding away to victory while LeeRoy hit the wall but recovered to finish fourth behind David Pearson and Richard Petty. It was the first of 11 wins at Michigan for the Woods.
The next race at Michigan, the Yankee 600 on August 17 of the same year, was plagued by rain. The race, scheduled to be 600 miles, ended a little after the halfway mark with Pearson, then driving for Holman-Moody, taking the win over Buddy Baker, Richard Petty and Yarborough.
Back at Michigan the next year, with the race shortened to 400 miles, Yarborough’s No. 21 Mercury fell two laps off the pace, but Yarborough eventually rejoined the lead lap and passed Pete Hamilton with two laps remaining to take the win.
All told, Yarborough, who had just one career Cup victory before joining the Woods, won 13 races in the No. 21 including the 1968 Daytona 500 and the Firecracker 400 at Daytona as well as the 1968 Southern 500 at Darlington. His first win with the Woods came at Atlanta in 1967, and he also won there in 1969 leading 308 of 334 laps in the first time out with a Boss 429 engine under the hood. He won at Atlanta again in 1969. Yarborough and the Woods accomplished all that despite running a limited schedule their entire time together.
Leonard Wood described Yarborough as “one of the hardest drivers there’s ever been in NASCAR.” He said the Woods hired Yarborough on the recommendation of Charlie Gray, then the coordinator of Ford’s drag racing and NASCAR racing efforts. Yarborough also had made a good impression on the Woods in his early years in the sport. “He ran really well in a Sportsman race at Daytona,” Wood said. “And he was running really well in Banjo Matthews’ Ford. He drove 110 percent all the time.”
Now it’s the Josh Berry era in the history of the Wood Brothers.
Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew, with a win at Las Vegas in March securing them a Playoff berth, now are looking for their second win together.
“I’m really happy with the consistent performance we’ve had,” Berry said. “Sure, there have been times we’ve missed out on the finishes we deserved or let some opportunities slip. But overall, I think we’ve done a great job qualifying well and racing strong. If we keep tightening up the little things and minimizing mistakes, the results will start coming our way more often.”
Berry said he has some added motivation heading into this weekend at Michigan.
“The Wood Brothers have a great history at Michigan, and we’re looking forward to going out there with our throwback scheme and putting together a solid weekend in Ford’s backyard,” he said.
Practice for the FireKeepers Casino 400 is set for Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, followed by qualifying at 10:40. Sunday’s 200-lap, 400-mile race is scheduled to start just after 2 p.m., with Stage breaks planned for Laps 45 and 120. Amazon Prime will carry the TV coverage all weekend.
About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, 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.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.
About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.
About Wood Brothers Racing
Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 101 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in NASCAR’s premier series with Josh Berry.
