Jon Wood
Encyclopedia
Jon Wood is a NASCAR
driver. He is the grandson of Glen Wood
, one of the famous Wood Brothers
who founded what has become Sprint Cup's longest continuously active team. Wood is currently a free agent
.
driver for the Wood Brothers at the time. After racing go-karts, he moved up to stock cars, racing in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series and the NASCAR Winston West Series. Wood made his major-league NASCAR debut in 2001 at Martinsville Speedway
, driving the #15 Ford F-150 for Billy Ballew Motorsports
. He started and finished 31st after suffering rear end failures. The release of Chuck Hossfeld
allowed Wood to drive Roush Racing
's #50 Eldon
Ford for the rest of the year. He claimed a pair of top five finishes (Kansas
and Fontana
) in his limited appearances. In 2002, Jon ran the entire schedule, earning ten top-10s with sponsorship from the United States Navy
. That year, he made his first Busch Series start at IRP, subbing for Jeff Burton
in the #9 Gain Ford Taurus
. He started and finished 6th that day.
In 2003, Wood notched two poles, 10 top fives and 20 top ten finishes, including two wins on his way to a fifth-place standing in points. He ran most of the season with sponsored by Bob Graham
. He ran his second Busch race that season at the Ford 300
in the #15 for ppc Racing
. He finished 22nd. Unfortunately, the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series
season was a struggle for Wood, who was forced to run unsponsored for virtually the entire season. As a result, Roush Racing
focused more on teammate Carl Edwards
, and he had a pair of top fives and a fifteenth-place point result.
Wood moved to NASCAR
's Busch Series
full-time in 2005, driving for ST Motorsports (which later merged with the Wood Brothers to form Wood Brothers/JTG in 2006.) Wood had two top-fives and finished fifteenth in points, finishing fourth in the Rookie of the Year
standings. In August 2005, Wood was released from his development contract with Roush Racing, and became a member of the Wood Brothers driver development program. Wood had one top-five finish in 2006 and moved up one spot in the standings.
Originally, plans called for Wood to move up to Nextel Cup
full-time in 2007; however, because of sponsor issues and the need for more experience, Wood will run only a partial schedule during the 2007 Nextel Cup
season. Wood was to continue to drive full-time in the #47 Clorox-sponsored Ford Fusion in the Busch Series
, but was pulled from the ride following medical issues. He spent the rest of the season back in the Truck Series in the #21 Ford and had six top-tens in eleven starts as well as a pole position. He shared the #21 truck in 2008 with his cousin Keven but only had two top-ten finishes. He also made three Sprint Cup starts that season but failed to finish higher than 33rd. At the end of the season, the Woods' truck team closed down and he has not raced since.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver. He is the grandson of Glen Wood
Glen Wood
Glen Wood is a former NASCAR driver from Stuart, Virginia. He founded the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team in 1953, and won four races over an eleven year racing career. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. On June 14, 2011, it was announced that Wood will be inducted in...
, one of the famous Wood Brothers
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing is an American auto racing team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck Series. The team was formed in 1950 by the sons of Walter and Ada Wood, thus the Wood Brothers...
who founded what has become Sprint Cup's longest continuously active team. Wood is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
Early career
Wood was given his first go kart as a child by Dale JarrettDale Jarrett
Dale Arnold Jarrett is a former American race car driver and current sports commentator known for winning the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship...
driver for the Wood Brothers at the time. After racing go-karts, he moved up to stock cars, racing in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series and the NASCAR Winston West Series. Wood made his major-league NASCAR debut in 2001 at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
, driving the #15 Ford F-150 for Billy Ballew Motorsports
Billy Ballew Motorsports
Billy Ballew Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. They were formed in 1996 by Georgia businessman Billy Ballew. They currently field the #51 Bullet Liner F-150 for Colin Braun.- Fasscore Motorsports :...
. He started and finished 31st after suffering rear end failures. The release of Chuck Hossfeld
Chuck Hossfeld
Chuck Hossfeld , is an American race car driver and team owner. He is currently a full-time racer in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in the #22 car....
allowed Wood to drive Roush Racing
Roush Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is a racing team competing in NASCAR racing. As one of NASCAR's largest premier racing teams, Roush runs teams in the Sprint and Nationwide Series, and formerly in the Camping World Truck Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series.Roush first entered NASCAR competition in 1988, but had...
's #50 Eldon
Eldon (toy company)
Eldon Industries, Inc. was a toy company located in Hawthorne, California , that also in its heyday owned locations in Canada, England, Japan, and the Netherlands. The company is best known for items and brands that repackaged Japanese toys and distributed them worldwide - an example is the Billy...
Ford for the rest of the year. He claimed a pair of top five finishes (Kansas
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
and Fontana
California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. The track was also used for open wheel racing events until 2005. The racetrack is located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and...
) in his limited appearances. In 2002, Jon ran the entire schedule, earning ten top-10s with sponsorship from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. That year, he made his first Busch Series start at IRP, subbing for Jeff Burton
Jeff Burton
Jeffrey Brian "Jeff" Burton , also referred to as JB or The Mayor, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing. Burton is the younger brother of Ward Burton, who is a former Sprint Cup driver...
in the #9 Gain Ford Taurus
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
. He started and finished 6th that day.
In 2003, Wood notched two poles, 10 top fives and 20 top ten finishes, including two wins on his way to a fifth-place standing in points. He ran most of the season with sponsored by Bob Graham
Bob Graham
Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham is an American politician. He was the 38th Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and a United States Senator from that state from 1987 to 2005...
. He ran his second Busch race that season at the Ford 300
Ford 300
The Ford 300 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race that takes place at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race is part of the NASCAR Ford Championship Weekend, and is the final race of the season for the Nationwide Series....
in the #15 for ppc Racing
Ppc Racing
ppc Racing was a NASCAR racing team based in Mooresville, North Carolina. The team was owned by Greg Pollex. ppc Racing came about from a merger of Pollex's Busch Series team with a car owned by Steve DeSouza and Ted Campbell in 1999. The team shut down in 2007 due to a lack of funding...
. He finished 22nd. Unfortunately, the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
season was a struggle for Wood, who was forced to run unsponsored for virtually the entire season. As a result, Roush Racing
Roush Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is a racing team competing in NASCAR racing. As one of NASCAR's largest premier racing teams, Roush runs teams in the Sprint and Nationwide Series, and formerly in the Camping World Truck Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series.Roush first entered NASCAR competition in 1988, but had...
focused more on teammate Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
, and he had a pair of top fives and a fifteenth-place point result.
2005-Present
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
full-time in 2005, driving for ST Motorsports (which later merged with the Wood Brothers to form Wood Brothers/JTG in 2006.) Wood had two top-fives and finished fifteenth in points, finishing fourth in the Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
standings. In August 2005, Wood was released from his development contract with Roush Racing, and became a member of the Wood Brothers driver development program. Wood had one top-five finish in 2006 and moved up one spot in the standings.
Originally, plans called for Wood to move up to Nextel Cup
NEXTEL Cup
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . The series was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
full-time in 2007; however, because of sponsor issues and the need for more experience, Wood will run only a partial schedule during the 2007 Nextel Cup
NEXTEL Cup
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . The series was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
season. Wood was to continue to drive full-time in the #47 Clorox-sponsored Ford Fusion in the Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
, but was pulled from the ride following medical issues. He spent the rest of the season back in the Truck Series in the #21 Ford and had six top-tens in eleven starts as well as a pole position. He shared the #21 truck in 2008 with his cousin Keven but only had two top-ten finishes. He also made three Sprint Cup starts that season but failed to finish higher than 33rd. At the end of the season, the Woods' truck team closed down and he has not raced since.