[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 23, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E78-E79]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HONORING GLEN WOOD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. H. MORGAN GRIFFITH

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 23, 2019

  Mr. GRIFFITH. Madam Speaker, I offer these remarks in honor of Glen 
Wood, a founder of the legendary Wood Brothers

[[Page E79]]

NASCAR racing team, who died on January 18, 2019 at the age of 93. Glen 
Wood was a giant of auto racing, an owner and driver on the longest-
running team in NASCAR history.
  Stock car racing has a long and storied heritage in Southwest and 
Southside Virginia, and Glen Wood, a native of Stuart in Patrick 
County, made notable contributions of his own to the sport. A trip to 
Daytona Beach in 1947 fired Mr. Wood's passion for racing, but he 
earned his place in racing history three years later when he founded 
Wood Brothers Racing with his brother Leonard. As he recalled to the 
Associated Press, ``We started racing in 1950 with a car we bought for 
$50. We put No. 50 on the side of the car because it just seemed like 
the right thing to do.''
  Wood Brothers Racing eventually changed the number to 21, and they 
became a powerhouse, winning 99 victories in over 1,500 starts in 
NASCAR's top division. Glen Wood earned four of them himself as a 
driver. Many of the others were won by some of the sport's greatest 
competitors, including Cale Yarborough, Curtis Turner, A.J. Foyt, and 
David Pearson, driving for the Wood Brothers team. The Wood Brothers 
also brought innovation to the pit stop, drastically reducing its 
average length. These accomplishments garnered Glen Wood many 
accolades, including a place in the NASCAR Hall of Fame and recognition 
as one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers.
  Glen Wood was known for his success on the race track and for his 
gentlemanly demeanor off it. In his later years, he could be found at 
the Wood Brothers Racing Museum in Stuart greeting fans with his wife 
Bernece. Wood Brothers Racing remains a family business to this day, 
with Glen's oldest son Eddie now its president. Glen Wood was a 
towering figure in auto racing, and his legacy still endures. I offer 
my condolences to Mr. Wood's family on their loss.

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