Family matters: with his first Craftsman Truck Series win under his belt, Jon Wood is carrying on the Wood Brothers' 50-year tradition - NASCAR

At the family homestead in Stuart, Va., Bernece Wood couldn't believe what she was seeing on television.

Having observed a half-century of stock car racing, the matriarch of Wood Brothers Racing knew it wasn't often a driver could come from the back of the pack five times and race to the front--and it was her 21-year-old grandson Jon behind the wheel of the No. 50 Ford, racing in the July 5 Craftsman Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway.

She turned to her husband, Glen, who made his NASCAR debut in 1953, and asked the obvious question: "Do you think his truck is legal?"

"I've never seen a truck go to the back of the field and come to the front so many times in one race," she says.

At Daytona, where Wood Brothers holds the record for most wins in Winston Cup, Jon's father, Eddie Wood, was watching the race, just wanting it to end.

"I had seen (Jon) in this position before," says Eddie, who runs Wood Brothers Racing. "The first time he raced at Kansas, he almost won. He loves that track. He just loves to race."

When the checkered flag waved at the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250, Jon Wood was on his way to victory lane for the first time in his 48 career starts.

"I know when it's time to go," says Wood, who added a fourth-place finish last week at Kentucky. "I have a truck that's good enough to ride around until I need to make my move. That's what I did at Kansas. I was third around Lap 80, and I knew I was fast enough to get around Ted Musgrave, so I went."

With the support Wood has from his racing-rich family, Jack Roush and Ford, there's no telling how far he can go.

When Roush entered NASCAR in the late 1980s, the Wood Brothers team was instrumental in offering advice to expedite his learning curve. Once Roush was up to speed in Winston Cup, he returned the favor, supplying the Woods with engines and technological support beginning in the mid '90s. And in 2001, Roush gave Jon Wood the opportunity to run a limited truck schedule. After Wood finished third in the season finale at California, Roush gave him a full time ride for 2002.

Wood's ascent through the NASCAR ranks has been swift. He successfully raced in late models and the Winston West Series before graduating to trucks. Although Eddie Wood never raced professionally, he understands the pressure Jon has faced carrying the Wood name.

"If you look at Dale (Earnhardt) and Dale Jr., it's the same kind of deal," Eddie Wood says. "People don't put pressure on these kids; they love them. But I think they put pressure on themselves because they have to live up to the family name."

Jon Wood believes his last name is a blessing and a curse. His family's long relationship with Ford opened doors, but he has to race to stay where he's at and win to advance. "It has helped me progress through the ranks a little bit faster," Wood says, "but a lot more is expected out of me because of that."

Bobby Hamilton, who has been near the top of the truck points all season, thinks his son, Busch Series driver Bobby Hamilton Jr., and Wood have similar driving styles.

"Jon has everything it takes to win and gives it everything he's got," Hamilton says. "He's come a long, long way in the last year. I really believe (crew chief) John Monsam brought out the best in Jon."

Monsam worked with the late Alan Kulwicki and Ricky Rudd at Hendrick Motorsports and has led many truck notables, including former champion Mike Bliss, Dennis Setzer and Rick Carelli. Monsam was working with Rob Moroso when the Winston Cup rookie was killed in an auto accident in 1990. Afterward, it took everything Monsam had to stay in racing. Guiding Wood has been a rejuvenation of sorts.

"Jon is aggressive but smart," Monsam says. "When he's in the truck, he's mature beyond his years. He knows what adjustments need to be made to make the truck better, and he relates the information really well. That makes my job a lot easier.

"It's not in his nature to accept anything less than winning, and that's how a racer should be."

Though Wood is under contract to Roush Racing, it's not far-fetched to imagine him behind the wheel of the Wood Brothers' No. 21 Ford in Winston Cup in the future.

"Certainly, I would love to drive for my dad one day," he says. "He's responsible for getting me where I am. The whole family has been behind me."

But those dreams can wait.

"It's a cool deal to drive for Jack Roush because he has a huge stable to pull from, and these guys have improved a lot over the last year," Wood says. "Right now, I have to focus on winning races and finishing the season."

TSN's TRUCK POLL

Rank   Driver            TSN pts   Truck pts.

  1.   Ted Musgrave        953     1,643 (2)
  2.   Dennis Setzer       912     1,637 (3)
  3.   Travis Kvapil       910     1,684 (l)
  4.   Brendan Gaughan     899     1,630 (4)
  5.   Bobby Hamilton      878     1,613 (5)
  6.   Jon Wood            835     1,591 (7)
  7.   Rick Crawford       831     1,608 (6)
  8.   Jason Leffler       739     1,517 (8)
  9.   Carl Edwards        672     1,467 (10)
 10.   Terry Cook          671     1,478 (9)

Through race No. 11, at Kentucky. For a complete TSN Power
Poll rundown and an explanation of the points breakdown, go
to www.sprotingnews.com/nascar/poll/trucks/index.html.

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