NASCAR Truck Series Driver Returns to Short Track Roots at the October Classic

Wood moved to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, nine events into the 2021 season with GMS Racing. He began the 2021 season racing for GMS in the ARCA Menards Pro Series earning a fourth-place finish at Kansas Speedway and four top-10 finishes in eight starts. At Nashville Speedway, he put his GMS Racing Truck Series ride on the outside pole, after qualifying second. He finished 10th at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, while also scoring an 11th at Nashville. GMS Racing recently announced that Wood would compete for the team full-time in their Chevrolet sponsored Silverado.

On the West Coast, Wood made his Super Late Model Series debut with the Pacific Challenge Series, earning the Rookie-of-the-Year Award. In 2018 he moved to the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series finishing 12th in the championship standings and third in the rookie race. 2019 found the Loomis, CA native and 16th in the standings scoring a best finish of eighth at Madera Speedway. Wood began the 2020 season with a breakout effort however, running third in the “Sunrise Ford All-Star Showdown 200” at Irwindale Speedway.

He now returns to a facility at which he last left victorious. In December of 2020, Wood ran 11th in the season finale for the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series, but won the “Jeanette Kennedy 60” for the Pro Late Models. It was a precursor event for the inaugural season of the SPEARS Pro Late Model Series presented by Sigma Performance Services. This will be Wood’s fourth trip to Kern in the month of October, but his SRL luck has been less than stellar, despite showing great speed. In 2018, Wood had his best series qualifying effort timing in fourth. He drew the pole position, but the car would not fire for the feature event. At the 2019 October Classic, Wood came home fourth, for his best series finish at the time. His car didn’t make it through post-race tech however, and he was disqualified. His 2020 October Classic effort was in the ARCA Menards Pro Series West, where he came home with a top-10 effort.

Wood is eager to turn his Super Late Model luck round at Kern and return to a series that was a big part of his development as a driver.

“I’m very excited to announce that I will be returning to the SRL for the October Classic”, Wood explained. “It’s an honor to have the support of Chevrolet to help make this possible. I learned a lot of what I am now applying to the Truck Series running on the West Coast in Super Late Models. Hopefully we can have ourselves a good run. I couldn’t be more excited!”

A strong field of Super Late Models are expected in the final championship race of the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series schedule. The winner could take home $10,500 in the two segmented race, thanks to the Motor City Throwdown Bonus of $3,500. All drivers will be eligible for the bonus, that was offered to beat Derek Thorn. The event will also feature a “Throwback Theme for the competitors, with the best scheme taking home a set of Hoosier Tires, thanks to Hoosier Tire West.

Qualifying and three positioning Heat Races will proceed the “Bulwark ‘FR October Classic 150”. The Super Late Models will be joined by the Spears Manufacturing Pro Late Models presented by Sigma Performance Services who will race for $5,400 in the “Sigma Performance 54”. The Spears Modified Series will compete for a $2,500 winner’s check in the “Visit Bakersfield 60”.

For those unable to attend, catch all the action LIVE at www.SpearsRacing.TV. The event will also air on MAVTV at a time and date to be announced later.

Celebrating its twenty-first season in 2021, the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series is a regional stock car series competing on paved ovals in the southwestern portion of the U.S. “The SPEARS Southwest Tour Series…Where the Champions Race”.

Truck PC: GMS Racing