Statement from Richmond Raceway President Dennis Bickmeier on Glen Wood

By:
On:
In: Speedway News

A statement from Richmond Raceway (Richmond) President Dennis Bickmeier on the passing of Virginia native & NASCAR Hall of Famer, Glen Wood.

“Richmond Raceway extends our sincere condolences to Bernice and the Wood Brothers family and staff,” said Richmond President Dennis Bickmeier. “Glen Wood’s legacy of success in NASCAR and the Racing Virginia community is unparalleled in the history of the sport. As the co-founder of Wood Brothers Racing, along with his brother Leonard, he raised the prominence of motorsports in the Commonwealth of Virginia as he built a legendary racing operation in his home state. The impact of Glen’s legacy on NASCAR and motorsports in Virginia will continue to be felt for generations to come.”

Wood Brothers Racing was born in 1950 under a beech tree in Stuart, Va., where Glen and Leonard Wood and other family members built their first race car. The team’s first race car was the No. 50, the number eventually changed to the iconic No. 21 the organization is known for. The organization now stands as the longest continuously operating Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team.

As one of NASCAR’s most popular and successful Cup Series teams over their 69-year history, Wood Brothers Racing has competed in more than 1,500 races and recorded 99 victories, including five DAYTONA 500’s with five different drivers and two Richmond wins by Speedy Thompson (1960) and Kyle Petty (1986).

Once a driver himself, Glen won four races in NASCAR’s top series. He also won a Convertible Series race at Richmond in 1957. Glen finished his career behind the wheel in 1964, and began successfully managing drivers for Wood Brothers Racing including David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Curtis Turner, and A.J. Foyt.

He was recognized as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. Glen, along with Leonard, was elected to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. Wood was inducted into the third class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.

In the fall of 2018, Richmond unveiled the new Garage Walk of Honor in the new Monster Energy Series garages in the modernized infield to honor the history and legends of the track and Racing Virginia. Glen, along with Leonard, were recognized on the inaugural walls along with Richmond’s founder Paul Sawyer, fellow NASCAR Hall of Famers Joe Weatherly, Curtis Turner, and Wendell Scott, and local legends Ray Hendrick and Junie Donlavey.

Richmond Raceway PR

Speedway Digest Staff
Follow Me
Latest posts by Speedway Digest Staff (see all)
Post Views: 59