Legendary NASCAR car own Glen Wood and his bride Bernece honeymooned in Daytona Beach, Fl. after Glen fell in love with the area five years earlier during his first trip to the sandy beach to see Curtis Turner race.

On Sunday, February 7th, the Wood’s celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary at Daytona as they have every year since their honeymoon trip.

Over the years, Wood made the driver from his hometown of Stuart, VA to sunny Florida via the early narrow roads and rickety bridges early on to today’s interstates. Some years he went as a spectator, some he went as a driver and others he went as a car owner.

After setting multiple qualifying records during the final years of racing on the beach and trying his hand at the new Daytona International Speedway, Wood changed his focus from behind the wheel to the car itself as he and his brother Leonard founded and developed Wood Brothers Racing.

The famous team has won the Great American Race four times, once each with Tiny Lund, Cale Yarborough, A.J. Foyt and David Person from 1963 through 1976.

During qualifying for this year’s Daytona 500 on Saturday, February 6th, the team’s hard efforts were rewarded once again as veteran NASCAR driver Bill Elliott secured a spot in next Sunday’s race.

“The worst feeling you can have is missing a race,” 84-year old Wood said. “It was a great feeling to see him lock in a starting spot. I’m really proud of the effort that went into that.”

Year after year the Wood Brothers revolutionized the sport of auto racing and their tradition continues this year beginning with the Daytona 500 on Sunday.

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