Dover 200 - Jon Wood Notes

JON WOOD’S STEADY APPROACH GAINING SPEED IN No. 47 CLOROX FORD

Like it or not, Jon Wood can’t drive his No. 47 Clorox Ford on the ragged edge. But so far, his steady approach has resulted in some of his best finishes.

A run of bad racing luck has left Wood with some crashed cars. To make it easier on his Wood Brothers/JTG Racing team, he’s changed his approach to take what the racetrack offers. Oddly enough, it’s made him quicker.

A week ago, Wood started 35th at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway, but he finished 11th.

Although his fleet of Ford Fusions is growing each week, Wood said the lessons learned in the last couple races have been profound. He now understands racing’s oldest adage – To finish first, first you have to finish – is all about.

Wood plans to use that same approach at the Dover International Speedway during Saturday’s Dover 200.

WHAT THE TEAM HAS TO SAY
Jon Wood, driver of the No. 47 Clorox Ford Fusion:
“There’s a difference between taking a steady approach and driving slow,” he said. “We’re not going slow. We’re still racing hard. But we’re being more selective about when we push the car and when we don’t. Right now, the important thing is to bring the car home in one piece. The funny thing is, the car’s so good, if we finish it’s usually a pretty good finish.

“I can’t say enough about everyone on this Wood Brothers/JTG Racing team. We’ve had a run of bad luck and it’s put them behind in the shop. But they keep sending great cars to the racetrack every week. We’re going to Dover and run hard, but run smart.”

Scott Zipadelli, Crew Chief of the No. 47 Clorox Ford Fusion:
“It’s real important for us to be able to take this car home, hose it off, and get ready for the next race. It’s not fun to race that way, but sometimes it works out better that way. Right now, we don’t have a choice. We have to do everything we can to finish the race. That’s not to say we’re not trying to win. We just have to take a different approach.”

FAST & FUN FACTS: -Jon Wood is 22nd in the NASCAR Busch Series standings with $355,655 in earnings.
-Wood has 85 career starts in the Busch Series with 12 Top 10s.
-Wood is the grandson of legendary driver Glen Wood and the son of Wood Brothers/JTG racing co-owner of Eddie Wood.
-Wood’s combined earnings in NASCAR, including Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck series starts, is $3,943,015. He’s $57,985 short of passing the $4 million mark.

RACE INFORMATION:
What – Dover 200 NASCAR Busch Series race
When – Saturday, June 2, 3 p.m. ET
Where – Dover International Speedway
Networks – ESPN2, Sirius Satellite Channel 128