Trouble in Turn2

What Happened

For the Wood Brothers, the original plan was to use 2007 as a season of transition to prepare for two cars in 2008 and the gradual introduction of Jon Wood as driver. That plan lasted four races. Primary driver Ken Schrader struggled right out of the gate, setting the table for a tough season. The first five finishes of the season went 35, 36, 29, 37, 28 enough to push the #21 outside the top 35. By race 12 Bill Elliott had replaced Schrader in the car as the team scrambled to qualify for races.

It has been several years since the Wood Brothers #21 was challenging for wins, but last year marked a new low for the team. For the first time since 1956 the Wood Brothers failed to score at least one top ten. 2007 has to be considered the worst season in team history.

What Went Well

Bill Elliott made every race he entered, resuscitating a team that was gasping for breath after 12 races. Elliott was hired in part for his past champion’s provisional, but Elliott managed to make a six time provisional last the entire season.He had four top 20’s with a best of 11th at Michigan.

Jon Wood made his historic Cup debut at Las Vegas. The grandson of Glen Wood, the founder and legendary driver of Wood Brothers Racing, Wood joined a shortlist of third generation drivers. On a day when cars lost control thanks to the combination of a green track and a hard tire compound, Wood avoided trouble for the majority of the race before finishing 29th.

Watkins Glen featured the fourth different driver in the #21 under unique circumstances. Rain washed out qualifying, but Elliott got the car in the race with a provisional. In a selfless act, Elliott volunteered to allow road course ace Boris Said to drive the car instead. Said obliged, bringing it home in 14th, one of the best finishes of the season for the team.

Marcos Ambrose had a successful season in the Busch series, giving the team long term hope. In his first season at the Busch level, Ambrose scored 1 top 5, 6 top 10’s and finished 8th overall. The plan in 2008 is to gradually introduce him to the Cup level (that sounds familiar). Abmrose already has proven a popular driver and quick study to American stock cars.

What Went Wrong

Dropped from the top 35 and couldn’t return by the end of the year. This puts the team at a major disadvantage entering 2008. Not only are they outside the top 35, but one car teams just can’t cut it in Nextel Cup anymore.

Wood fell ill and missed a large part of the Busch series and also missed out on potential Cup starts. Not only did Wood miss several Busch races, but his replacement Kelly Bires ran just as well as Wood.

Ken Schrader initially drove the car, but after the first five races Schrader had not finished better than 28th. Bill Elliott stepped in, returned the car to the top 35 and then Schrader returned for four races in the fall. He again failed to maintain a spot in the top 35 and was replaced a second time by Elliott for the final six races of the season.

Like most other Ford teams, the Wood Brothers didn’t take to the CoT very well. In CoT races the team averaged a 29.5 finish. With the circuit running every race in the CoT, it will be a mighty large challenge to regain their guaranteed status.

Past Team Reviews

DEI|Michael Waltrip Racing|Penske Racing|Haas-CNC|Team Red Bull|Joe Gibbs|Evernham

• Announcing the first ever Trouble in Turn 2 Giveaway. It’s a UPS truck.

  

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