Wood Brothers started humbly in the Stuart building above and stayed there until the family built a new shop in 1955. The spot where the building stood (below) is an empty highway curve now. As Len and Eddie Wood sat in the front row of a spacious hotel ballroom in Concord, N.C., a Ford Motor Company executive touted the successes of the manufacturer's engine program.
Not once did he mention the Wood Brothers, who helped make that engine program famous.
Once a dominant team, Wood Brothers Racing now consider qualifying for an event as success. One of NASCAR's tradition-rich teams is on the brink of becoming a stock-car relic.
The team, which started in Stuart, hasn't taken a checkered flag since Emporia native Elliott Sadler won at Bristol on March 25, 2001 -- eight years and 278 Cup races ago.
This year, the team that Glen and Leonard Wood built is scheduled to compete for a spot in only 12 races, including Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500.
"We talked with Ford [executives] about the need to get our performance back up," said Len Wood, one of the second-generation Wood brothers. "We struggled the last couple of years, but we got a lot better at the end of last season."
The No. 21, driven by two-time Daytona 500 champion Bill Elliott, failed to qualify for four of the first five Cup races last season. But Elliott and the Wood Brothers turned things around in the second half by qualifying for the last 16 races.
Len Wood said the shortened season will give the team an opportunity to evaluate future plans. "It gives us a chance to regroup," he said.
Even with Ford and Motorcraft continuing as sponsors, this one-car team is strapped for cash. Crew members are given several responsibilities. A jackman doubles as a mechanic. A fabricator changes tires on pit stops.
"Instead of having two people doing one job, I want one guy who can do two jobs," said Len Wood, who employs 43 workers at the Harrisburg, N.C. shop.
The Woods are confident they can secure additional sponsors with a solid performance at NASCAR's richest race.
"We spent more time on these Daytona cars than we've spent in years," said Len Wood. "If we don't make a good showing, it will fool me. . . .
"We think we can be better prepared if we stick to mile-and-a-half tracks. If we were to try to run a short track, I think our focus goes away."
As a result, this Virginia-born team will not compete this season at either Virginia racetrack -- Richmond International Raceway or Martinsville Speedway.
"We're Virginia boys, and we still have our homes up there," Len Wood said. "But we have to make sense of the program, and there are other things that went into our decision."
Higher race-weekend lodging costs -- in some cities nearly doubling to as much as $16,000 -- influenced their decision.
"We have to figure all that stuff into our plans," said Len's brother and co-team owner, Eddie Wood. "I don't think we've seen the end of the bad economy."
The Woods considered merging with other teams. But were reluctant to part with the team name so long a part of NASCAR lore.
"We talked to a lot of people, but nothing ever really made sense," Eddie Wood said. "We felt as if we were giving up too much."
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