NASCAR has produced many great racing teams over its long 76-year-old history. After reaching their prime, most have dissolved or transitioned into new teams. But the oldest active team, Wood Brothers Racing, has persisted through turmoil and kept its philosophy intact. Their moral vision includes respect, communication, and above all else, family.

Hence, the racing team recently announced a role shuffle within the Wood family. The aim is to revive the once vibrant WBR that snagged 99 race wins in NASCAR and invented lightning-fast pit stops. The news has caught diehard race fans in bated breath, as they cannot wait to see Wood cars winning again.

NASCAR fans are excited about WBR comeback

The Wood Brothers’ lineage started way back in 1950 when Glen Wood founded the team. The family patriarch himself snagged four NASCAR Cup wins, before letting other star-studded drivers drag the team to glory. Three-time consecutive Cup champion Cale Yarborough won 17 times under WBR. But nobody beat David Pearson’s whopping 43 titles under the esteemed race team.

Compared to those memorable times, Wood Brothers Racing is presently in a slump. Their last win came in 2017 at Pocono Raceway, when Ryan Blaney clinched a win on June 11th. That marked their 99th and last victory to date. At the moment, No. 21 driver Harrison Burton is going winless in his third year of full-time racing under WBR in NASCAR.

The team’s recent update might signal fair weather ahead. Wood Brothers Racing’s old guards have made way for the younger generation to take up the reins. NASCAR tweeted the update: “For @woodbrothers21, it has always been about family and racing. That continues as Jon Wood assumes the Team President role from his father Eddie. Jordan Wood Hicks and Keven Wood join Jon as team co-owners.”

Fans were ecstatic about this change. Despite a drab run on race tracks, Jon Wood is a good team leader, as one fan posited. “Maybe he can turn the failure of a team around.” 

Others were eager to see Wood Brothers Racing snag that much-awaited 100th title. “Congrats @_JonWood! Let’s get win 100!” Another fan quipped: “Hope they get win 100 soon…”

A few fans also waxed nostalgic about WBR’s past driver, Matt DiBenedetto. “Bring @mattdracing back!” Another fan chimed in: “Now bring matty d back!!”

Indeed, DiBenedetto’s untimely departure from the team was shocking for many, including himself.

DiBenedetto felt hurt for being cast out of the ‘family’

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Driving the No. 21 Ford, Matt DiBenedetto’s tenure with Wood Brothers Racing lasted for two years (2020-2021) in the NASCAR Cup series. He nearly won at Talladega Superspeedway in spring 2021 and also fetched back-to-back top tens at Road America and Atlanta. What’s more, he heartily connected with the team’s motto, calling the Woods “family to me”.

However, Harrison Burton replaced him for the 2022 season, and DiBenedetto expressed his sadness. “You guys know what you see is what you get. Sometimes good, sometimes bad…When I found out, I tried to be like OK, been through this before. How do I handle this?… But you know what? I didn’t really sleep last night and I thought about it and it’s OK to have human emotion and I’m not going to lie to you, it’s OK to be pissed off, angry and bitter, and all of the above. It just is what it is. We’re humans. We’re not perfect.”

Now with Jon Wood on the presidential pedestal, DiBenedetto might just get a ticket back to Wood Brothers Racing in NASCAR’s premier series.