Of the 20 drivers who’ve been lucky sufficient to win races with the Wooden Brothers Racing group, practically half of them have been first-time winners, with Josh Berry being the newest. From there, it has been pretty cut up on what the long run held for these drivers as some by no means gained once more, whereas a pair went on to turn out to be NASCAR Cup Sequence champions. It stays to be seen the place Berry will fall on this checklist, however here is a take a look at the opposite eight who kickstarted their Cup careers with a victory whereas driving for the Wooden Brothers:
Harrison Burton, Wooden Brothers Racing, DEX Imaging Ford Mustang
Picture by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Burton now competes full-time within the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence after scoring his one and solely win within the No. 21 final summer time, which got here after the group determined to half methods with him following three years collectively. Presently, there are not any plans for him to return to the Cup Sequence within the speedy future.
Race winner Ryan Blaney, Wooden Brothers Racing Ford
Picture by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Blaney has in fact gained many races since his time with the Wooden Brothers. The duo earned a top-ten factors end collectively earlier than Penske (who has a technical alliance with the #21) snatched him away. Blaney has since gone on to win 13 Cup races and even turn out to be champion in 2023.
Victory lane: race winner Trevor Bayne, Wooden Brothers Racing Ford
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
Relating to one-hit wonders, they do not get a lot greater than this. Sooner or later after his twentieth birthday, Bayne drove the No. 21 Wooden Brothers Ford to its fifth 500 win as a group. Nevertheless, Bayne was by no means in a position to recreate the magic of the day, having by no means gained once more regardless of practically 200 begins within the Cup Sequence.
Elliott Sadler
Picture by: Autostock
Sadler had a good NASCAR profession after his 2001 victory, successful two extra races with a special group [Yates Racing] and beginning 438 Cup races. He loved a bit extra success within the Xfinity Sequence, practically successful the title on a number of events. Sadler was additionally the start of an enchanting pattern as all 5 of the group’s victories through the twenty first century got here with 5 completely different drivers, and every have been first-time winners.
Dale Jarrett — 1991 Michigan
Becoming a member of Blaney, Jarrett is the one different driver listed right here to really parlay their first win with the Wooden Brothers right into a championship-winning profession. The second-generation racer has since joined his father within the NASCAR Corridor of Fame, having gained 32 Cup races, however solely the primary victory got here with the Wooden Brothers. In 1999, he turned a champion with Yates Racing.
Kyle Petty — 1986 Richmond
The son of Richard ‘The King’ Petty and the grandson of Lee Petty, there was plenty of stress on Kyle to reside as much as the household identify. Though it wasn’t fairly the profession he might have hoped for, he nonetheless began over 800 Cup races and gained eight. Of the opposite first-time winners on this checklist, solely the 2 champions gained extra races. Petty can be the latest driver to win a number of races with the Wooden Brothers, because the others loved the remainder of their success elsewhere or by no means gained once more.
Tiny Lund — 1963 Daytona 500
Like Bayne, Lund earned his first Cup win within the sport’s greatest race. Lund, who stood at 6ft 5in, definitely wasn’t ‘tiny,’ however he did know learn how to wheel a race automotive within the early days of the game. He began 303 races, successful 5 races with three completely different groups earlier than his tragic loss of life within the Talladega 500 in 1975.
Glen Wooden — 1960 Bowman Grey (x4)
Appropriately, the primary driver to ever win with the Wooden Brothers was in fact one of many unique Wooden Brothers. Glen, who has since joined the NASCAR Corridor of Fame earlier than his passing in 2019, gained 4 races behind the wheel of the family-owned automotive (all at Bowman Grey). However his true legacy lies within the group he and his brothers constructed.
What it means and what comes subsequent
Whereas not a points-paying race, Michael Waltrip additionally gained the 1996 All-Star Race with the Wooden Brothers, which got here 5 years earlier than his victory within the 2001 Daytona 500, which in fact was overshadowed by the tragic loss of life of Dale Earnhardt.
So sure, the Wooden Brothers have a knack for giving drivers the chance to show their skills, however they’ve additionally featured many legends corresponding to David Pearson and Cale Yarborough, in addition to worldwide racing stars like Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt. However these 9 drivers are those who started their profession with this iconic group.
Josh Berry, Wooden Brothers Racing Ford
Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos
However for group co-owner Eddie Wooden, it is the first-time winners which might be actually particular to him. “That is one factor I am most likely most pleased with,” he stated. “We bought a wall in our museum with the winners. I went a pair, three weeks in the past, already bought an image of Josh [Berry] in a Motorcraft uniform able to go hoping we would get that first win.
“You by no means know when you are going to get one or if you are going to get one. I felt so good in regards to the mixture with Miles [Stanley, crew chief] and Josh, like I stated some time in the past, they simply clicked and you possibly can see it from the get-go. Simply felt like he was going to run up entrance. You bought to get in the best spot to win a race. These races are so exhausting to win.”
However what makes this group such an amazing leaping off level for the careers of so many drivers? Whereas each scenario is completely different, the truth that the Wooden Brothers are an old style group has to play a job in all of it. They don’t seem to be hiring pay drivers or asking for something apart from a gifted wheelman on the lookout for an opportunity. Most of the time, they’re those to step up and grant that chance whereas bigger groups are unable or unwilling to take action. And as showcased by their 101 victories and 70+ years within the sport, they know what they’re doing when choosing a driver.
It is unclear the place Berry’s profession goes from right here, however the No. 21 appears to have constant velocity that it hasn’t had shortly. Maybe he’ll be the primary driver since Petty to win a number of races with the group, or possibly he’ll go on and turn out to be a champion elsewhere like Blaney and Jarrett. There’s in fact the prospect that he by no means wins once more, however most would wager towards that. Or possibly he could possibly be the motive force to lastly ship the Wooden Brothers the one factor lacking from their illustrious trophy shelf — a NASCAR Cup Sequence championship.
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