Patrick County High School - Archive Yearbook (Stuart, VA)

Page 19 text:

Patrick County’s Wood Brothers Make It Big in Racing Racing fever has invaded Patrick County, affecting al¬ most everyone—drivers and fans alike. “Victims” can be found in such faraway places as Riverside, California or Day¬ tona Beach, Florida. While nearer to home, Patrick Coun- tians venture to small dirt tracks in Oak Level, Virginia and Madison, North Carolina. Without a doubt, the best known racing people in this area are the Wood Brothers of Stuart. The Woods started in racing in 1957 with Glen Wood at the wheel. Now, sixteen driv¬ ers and twenty-five years later, the Stuart, Virginia racing team has the most wins and the best winning percentage on the NASCAR circuit. The racing team included family members, Glen, Leon¬ ard, Delano, and Glen’s two sons, Eddie and Len. The crew has grown to include seven¬ teen people, nine of which are from Patrick County. The Wood Brothers — owned, Warner Hodgdon— sponsored car number 21 is driven by Neil Bonnett of Huey- town, Alabama. Thus far in 1982 racing season, Bonnett has posted a second place fin¬ ish in the Busch Clash before having bad luck in the Daytona 500 where he wrecked on lap 106. A little closer to the team’s hometown, Bonnett fin¬ ished seventh in the rain-short¬ ened Richmond 400. According to their prosper¬ ous racing tradition and with a combination of factors, such as the crew, fans, and spon¬ sors, the Wood Brothers will certainly see Victory Lane quite a few times this season. Neil Bonnett and the Wood Brothers won their first race of their new sponsor, Warner Hodgdon, at the “grandaddy” of super speedways, the Darlington 500. Neil Bonnett maneuvers the car around the track at lightning fast speeds; as he zooms by, the crowd of spectators is nothing but a blur. Racing 15

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The Wood Brothers captured the 1981 pit crew race with a second pit stop. Car number twenty-one leads the field of cars around the track at Atlanta, Georgia. Keeping in close contact with Neil Bonnett over the radio, Eddie Wood eyes the trail of cars carefully as they come out of turn four, with Bonnett in the lead. 14 R acing

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Dirt Tracks Add To Patrick’s Racing Tradition As Well As Being A Start For Young Drivers On a smaller scale than NASCAR are the dirt tracks where aspiring race car drivers make their debut. Most drivers start out in the hobby division at local or clay tracks. Two such people are seniors, Billy Vaden from Drypond, and Jay Foley, from Elamsville. In¬ sp ired by his older brother who races in Calloway, Va., and late model sportsman driver. Bud¬ dy Smith, Jay Foley finally has his own race car. His older brother has been racing for ten years and Jay has often helped him. This year. Jay plans to race his 1974 Camaro at Log Cabin Speedway. Billy Vaden got his first taste of racing when he attended Martinsville Speedway. After that, he went to some races at 311 Speedway and his interest began to grow. Although the only racing experience Billy has had is with motorcycles, he plans to race his ’64 Comet in the hobby divisions at 311 and Log Cabin Speedways. One Patrick County driver who has already made a name for himself is driver of car num¬ ber seven in the late model divi¬ sion at 311 and Log Cabin Speedways — Phil Hall of Claudville. Phil has been racing for eleven years now and has received many awards and vic¬ tories. Last season, in his Hed- gecock Builder’s Supply spon¬ sored Camaro, Phil finished fifth in the points race at 311 Car number seven. Phil Hall, prepares to pass Herbie Poole in car number twenty-eight as they go into the third turn. and fourth in the points for Log Cabin. For the upcoming sea¬ son, Phil will be driving for the Gene Hester team at both 311 and Log Cabin. One thing that is very impor¬ tant to young aspiring drivers as well as established drivers, is fan support. Although there are many fans of NASCAR drivers, the fans of local driv¬ ers get more of a chance to see their favorite drivers in action. Scores of fans attend the local dirt tracks to cheer for their fa¬ vorites. Some fans are so loyal they are willing to brave the most extreme weather, bitter cold and scorching heat, to be on hand for the racing action. In Patrick County, there are all kinds of racing at all differ¬ ent levels. The Wood Brothers have established a nationally- known racing team and have achieved much success since their start in 1957. Local driv¬ ers such as Phil Hall have a good start in their racing ca¬ reers. For Jay Foley and Billy Vaden, they have a long way to go before they are out there with Neil Bonnett, but with hard work and dedication, it is not too awfully far to victory at the local dirt tracks. With his ’74 Camaro that he plans to race this season. Jay Foley is making his dream of racing a reality. Teressa Cox, a number one fan of Frank Fleming, shares a post-victory celebration with none other than Frank himself. 16 Racing