JON WOOD GETS HIS WISH IN No. 47 McKEE FOODS FORD AT KANSAS SPEEDWAY

If Jon Wood could ask for two wishes, they would be making another start in the Nextel Cup Series and racing at the Kansas Speedway. Both wishes were granted when Wood Brothers/JTG Racing decided to compete in this Sunday's LifeLock 400.

Wood has a 2003 victory in the Craftsman Truck Series at the 1.5-mile raceway, his first ever NASCAR win. He also has three other Top-10 finishes there in a truck, as well as a fifth-place effort in a Busch Series car.

Now he hopes to transform that success to a Nextel Cup Series car.

The start will be Wood's second in the Nextel Cup Series. He started 41st last March at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and finished 29th.

Wood, who drives full-time for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, will share the team's No. 21 Ford Fusion next year as he continues to move closer to a full-time ride in the Nextel Cup Series. That dream was accelerated by four Top-10 finishes this year in six truck series races.

The race team also will field its familiar No. 21 Little Debbie Ford with Ken Schrader at the wheel.

WHAT THE TEAM HAS TO SAY
Jon Wood, Driver of the No. 47 McKee Foods Ford:
"I’m going to run the second car in Kansas," he said. "It was a race for Little Debbie that was scheduled for early in the year with the (No.) 21 battling in and out of the Top-35; it wasn’t a good idea to take a chance on knocking the primary car out of a starting spot. So, it’s going to work out this Sunday. Ken Schrader is definitely going to be in the race and I’m either going to be in it or I’m going to knock the back glass out of it, so to speak. It’s all or nothing, there’s no being conservative in qualifying.

"The first time we raced at Las Vegas, it was very exciting. It was also very stressful because we had to get in on time. Once we got in the race, things really settled down. It didn't take long for it to be a matter of getting the car to rotate in the corners and finding speed -- the same things you work on in the truck or Busch series. We've been up and down since. But everything seems to be turning around. We've got a good car and we're going to a track where I have a lot of confidence. Things really worked out well for this Sunday. Bad luck turns to good. Good luck eventually turns to bad. So far, everything's been good luck for our second Nextel Cup race. Hopefully we can keep it that way.”

Gene Nead, Crew Chief of the No. 47 McKee Foods Ford:
“I came aboard last week and I'm really looking forward to getting up to speed with Jon and the No. 47 McKee Foods Ford," he said. "I spent the first week going over things in the shop and I know we've got a real good race car for Jon for Kansas. There's not a lot I can tell Jon about Kansas. He knows it better than most. His record proves that. Our goal is to not have any problems in qualifying, run a smart race and finish every lap. If we do that, we'll have a great foundation for our future."

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