Wood Brothers Racing Overview
Wood Brothers Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. Founded in 1950 by brothers Glen, Leonard, Delano, Clay, and Ray Lee Wood, the organization is recognized as the oldest active team in NASCAR. The team is based in Stuart, Virginia, and Mooresville, North Carolina, and is owned by members of the Wood family, including Len Wood, Eddie Wood, Keven Wood, Jordan Wood, and Jon Wood. Wood Brothers Racing fields the iconic No. 21 Ford Mustang and is currently driven by Josh Berry. The team is known for inventing the modern pit stop and maintains a long-standing technical alliance with Team Penske.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Wood Brothers Racing traces its roots to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia, where Walter and Ada Wood raised five sons and one daughter on a farm near Woolwine and Stuart. Glen, Leonard, Delano, Clay, and Ray Lee Wood learned their mechanical skills in their father’s garage while working as mechanics, farmers, and lumbermen. Inspired by local sawmill operator and champion racer Curtis Turner, the brothers formed a stock car racing team in 1950. They recruited friend and fellow lumberman Chris Williams as their first driver, and the group purchased their first race car for $50, initially numbering it 50 before later adopting the legendary No. 21.
Early success came quickly, with victories at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. After Williams sold his share of the team to Glen Wood to focus on his lumber business, the brothers enlisted local friends and family, including cousin Ralph Edwards, to fill crew roles. Glen and Leonard Wood worked full-time building and preparing cars, while the other brothers contributed on nights and weekends. Their first permanent shop was located on the edge of Stuart, Virginia, where the team grew from a weekend hobby into a full-time racing business.
Growth Into NASCAR Cup Series Competition
Drawn by the larger cash prizes at superspeedway races in Daytona, Charlotte, and Darlington, the Wood Brothers shifted their focus toward the highest levels of stock car racing. Glen Wood stepped back from driving duties, and the team began hiring proven winners to pilot the No. 21 Ford. Leonard Wood’s skill in engine work earned the team acclaim, rivaling the legendary Holman-Moody engines and the Petty racing operation. The team permanently adopted the No. 21, making it as iconic in NASCAR as the Petty No. 43 and the Earnhardt No. 3.
The Wood Brothers revolutionized motorsport by inventing the modern pit stop, replacing the older practice of drivers turning off their engines, stepping out, and smoking cigarettes while crews serviced the car. Their innovation spread throughout racing, and in 1965, Ford invited the team to the Indianapolis 500 to support the Lotus-Ford entry. The Wood Brothers’ speed and precision in the pits contributed to Jim Clark’s victory in the 1965 Indianapolis 500, gaining international acclaim for the Virginia-based team.
Wood Brothers Racing Competitive Journey
Across seven decades, Wood Brothers Racing has evolved from a small family operation in Stuart, Virginia, into one of NASCAR’s most respected organizations. The team has fielded 1,813 Cup Series races, earned 101 victories, and captured 119 pole positions. Their journey has been marked by legendary drivers, including David Pearson, Neil Bonnett, Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett, Trevor Bayne, Ryan Blaney, and Harrison Burton, along with pioneering innovations that shaped the sport.
Early Seasons and Development (1950-1971)
In the early 1950s, race teams drove their cars to the track, raced, and then drove them home. The Wood Brothers built a strong foundation with drivers like Curtis Turner, Marvin Panch, Fireball Roberts, Parnelli Jones, Tiny Lund, Junior Johnson, Speedy Thompson, Fred Lorenzen, and Cale Yarborough. The team signed a long-term deal with Purolator as the primary sponsor for the No. 21 car. They also fielded a second car, the No. 121, in select races, even entering three cars in a single event, with open-wheel star Dan Gurney dominating road-course events from 1963 to 1968.
By the late 1960s, the Wood Brothers were widely regarded as one of the top teams in NASCAR, with their 1968 season earnings exceeding $160,000, a remarkable amount for that era. As the team grew, Glen Wood emerged as the patriarch, and his young sons Eddie and Len began working in the shop. Glen’s brother Delano Wood became one of the greatest pit-crew members, earning a reputation as an unmatched jackman. By the early 1970s, the team was known for its lightning-quick pit stops and powerful engines, with drivers like Donnie Allison and A.J. Foyt taking turns behind the wheel of the No. 21.
Breakthrough in NASCAR Cup Series (1972-1989)
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, the World 600 at Charlotte, and the Southern 500 at Darlington. Their remarkable success earned them an invitation to the White House by President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s.
The 1980s brought significant changes, beginning with David Pearson’s departure and the arrival of rising star Neil Bonnett. The Bonnett-Wood partnership spanned three and a half seasons and 83 races, producing nine victories and over $700,000 in winnings. In 1985, Kyle Petty became the full-time driver, marking a partnership between the two most successful racing families in NASCAR history. Petty secured a victory at Richmond Raceway in his second season and won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1987 before leaving for SABCO Racing. Veteran Buddy Baker also drove the No. 21, winning the 1983 Firecracker 400 at Daytona, while the team adopted Valvoline and later a trio of sponsors including 7-Eleven, Citgo, and Chief Auto Parts.
Modern Program and Current Direction (1990-Present)
By 1990, the Wood Brothers returned to the No. 21 Ford with Citgo as their sponsor and turned to longtime friend Dale Jarrett, who delivered a victory at Michigan in 1991. The team then fielded veteran Morgan Shepherd, who earned 52 top-ten finishes and a victory at the 1993 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500. Michael Waltrip followed, winning the 1996 Winston Select All-Star Race, before Elliott Sadler took over in 1999 and delivered the team’s first win at Bristol in 2001. Longtime sponsorship with Citgo ended, replaced by Ford Motorcraft and the United States Air Force, establishing the team as the de facto factory team for Ford Motor Company.
In 2004, the Wood Brothers left their roots in Stuart to establish primary operations in Mooresville, North Carolina, while maintaining the original shop as a museum. Trevor Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500, becoming the youngest driver in team history. In 2015, Ryan Blaney was announced as the driver, beginning a technical alliance with Team Penske. Blaney won the 2017 Axalta Presents the Pocono 400, and Matt DiBenedetto later drove the No. 21. Harrison Burton secured the team’s 100th career victory at the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400, and Josh Berry followed with the 101st win at Las Vegas in 2025. In 2026, Jesse Love was announced as the driver of the No. 21 Ford for 2027.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Wood Brothers Racing has built its identity on precision, innovation, and a deep commitment to teamwork. The team is renowned for its mastery of pit stops, an art form it essentially invented, and for developing young talent into race winners. Their technical alliance with Team Penske and longstanding relationship with Ford provide the engineering resources and competitive consistency required to succeed at the highest level of stock car racing.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Notable milestones include the 1965 Indianapolis 500 victory with Jim Clark, the 1976 NASCAR Triple Crown with David Pearson, Glen and Leonard Wood’s 2000 induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the 2011 Daytona 500 win with Trevor Bayne, the 2017 Pocono victory with Ryan Blaney, and the historic 100th and 101st career victories with Harrison Burton in 2024 and Josh Berry in 2025.
Wood Brothers Racing Achievements and Results
Wood Brothers Racing is one of the most storied organizations in NASCAR history, with 101 verified Cup Series victories, 119 pole positions, and more than 1,800 race entries since 1953. The team has never captured a Cup Series drivers’ championship, but its legacy of innovation, driver development, and family leadership has earned it a permanent place among the sport’s most respected competitors.
Cup Series Achievements
The Wood Brothers have accumulated 101 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1976 Triple Crown sweep with David Pearson and memorable wins by Neil Bonnett, Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett, Morgan Shepherd, Michael Waltrip, Elliott Sadler, Trevor Bayne, Ryan Blaney, Harrison Burton, and Josh Berry. Their first Daytona 500 win as a team came in 2011 with Bayne, while their most recent milestone was the 101st career victory at Las Vegas in 2025 with Berry, marking the first back-to-back winning seasons since 1986 and 1987 with Kyle Petty.
Series Achievements
Wood Brothers Racing has also competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, fielding entries from 2006 to 2008 under a partnership with JTG Daugherty Racing. The team ran 77 truck races, earning one pole position before ending the program due to lack of sponsorship. Throughout their Cup Series history, the team has developed numerous future stars, including Dale Jarrett, who went on to win the Daytona 500, and Ryan Blaney, who advanced to a third Team Penske car after his tenure with the No. 21.
