On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
After spending many years working as a presenter for various NASCAR and motorsports programs and networks, Rutledge Wood is getting behind the wheel of a race car, joining forces with Precision Racing LA.
Wood will be competing in four different race weekends with the Toyota GAZOO Racing North America GR Cup, piloting the No. 18 Fun Times Soda Pop Toyota GR86.
The 44-year-old native of Birmingham, Alabama will make his debut in the Toyota-backed division at Circuit of The Americas in April, before returning to the series for events at Road America (August), Barber Motorsports Park (September), and Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Road Course (October).
“I couldn’t be more excited to jump into the driver’s seat and join the Toyota GR Cup Series for four race weekends in 2025,” said Rutledge Wood. “Cars have always been a huge part of my life, and having the opportunity to have some fun in the incredible Toyota GR86 is a dream come true.”
The Toyota GR Cup provides amateur drivers and teams the opportunity to compete at some of the most iconic venues in North America, while also providing Toyota engineers with real world data to support the design of future vehicles.
“I need to give a huge thank you to Mario [Biundo, President and Team Principal] and his team at Precision Racing LA for helping start the idea around this program, and everyone at Toyota for making it happen. I had the privilege of racing in the Toyota Pro Celebrity event years ago and can’t wait to get behind the wheel in this incredible series as well.”
This season’s championship will feature a 14-race schedule at seven exciting circuits across the United States, with Toyota once again offering one million dollars in purse and prizes thanks to several partners that have teamed with TGRNA.
“Rutledge has been a great friend of Toyota and has an undeniable passion for cars and for racing,” said Paul Doleshal, Group Manager, Motorsports, Toyota Motor North America. “We’re looking forward to seeing Rutledge on track this season and can’t wait for fans to see what he can do behind the wheel.”
Rutledge Wood spent more than a decade working in the NASCAR industry, first with SPEEDTV, where in addition to serving as a correspondent for NASCAR’s pre-race show, NASCAR RaceDay, he also hosted a number of other shows and events, including SPEED Road Tour Challenge, NASCAR Smarts, and NASCAR Live.
When NASCAR on NBC returned to air in 2015, Rutledge Wood joined the network to serve as a travelling reporter, checking out landmarks near the racetrack each weekend, or the in-track activation and fan experience.
Wood went on to host several shows with Netflix, including Hyperdrive, Floor is Lava, and American Barbecue Showdown, and remains with NBC as the host of the new competition series Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge.
Recommended Articles:
More must-reads:
- 'Clearly separated himself': Why one QB is winning Browns' competition
- Yankees' unlikely answer emerges from depth chart to save season — for now
- The '2024-25 NFL passing-yard leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Chargers star's brutal injury shows why players should hold out with new contracts on line
Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater was carted off the practice field on Thursday afternoon with what turned out to be a significant injury. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the two-time Pro Bowler suffered a season-ending knee injury. It's a massive blow to the team's offensive line and offense as a whole. It also serves as a harsh reminder as to why players will always — and should always — act on the side of caution when it comes to participating in training camp when they are seeking a new contract. In Slater's case, he's a lucky one because he just agreed to a new four-year, $114 million contract extension with $92 million in guarantees days before the injury happened. That contract was signed after he did not participate in some of the team's early training-camp practice sessions. If Slater had participated early on and had this injury happen before he was able to get his new deal signed, it would have been a devastating blow in his quest to get that pay day. Not only would the Chargers have had no incentive to pay him this season, but there is no guarantee he would have ever received that sort of contract in the future. Fans might not like the idea of a hold-out or hold-in, but you have to look at it from the perspective of the player. They have a very limited time to earn top dollar in the NFL, and there are never any guarantees. The hold-out/hold-in approach is not only a way to put pressure on the team to pay them, but it's also a matter of self-preservation. Football is a violent game. It's a physical game. It's a collision game. Injuries are always going to be a part of that. But injuries happen with much greater frequency early in the season, and especially in training camp, due to the fact that players are still working their way back into game shape and going through more intense and physical practices than they do at any point during the season. It's a dangerous time for them in terms of injuries, and that should not be overlooked when it comes to contract talks. Players have short careers and even less time to set themselves up financially. They should not be willing to take unnecessary risks when it comes to their earning power. The Slater situation shows just how delicate all of it is.
Three takeaways from Raiders’ preseason tie against the Seahawks
SEATTLE—It was a mixed bag of tricks for the first Las Vegas Raiders game in about seven months. On Thursday, the Raiders launched a comeback bid against the Seattle Seahawks to finish their first preseason game with a 23-23 tie. Both team starts out their preseason slates with a 0-0-1 record, with each having something to work on heading into next weekend. Here are some major takeaways to come from the Raiders’ side of the equation. Jeanty posts forgettable debut Ashton Jeanty did not get much playing time as expected, but it was not the first impression he wanted to make for the Raiders. On three carries, the sixth overall pick managed to pick up -1 rushing yards. It was hard for him to find room, as the Seahawks defensive front swarmed him at every turn. It was just a preseason game that has little effect on the season, but Jeanty struggling like this could pose a problem for a Raiders team desperate for him to solve their rushing woes. QB2 heating up In the battle to be Geno Smith’s backup, the edge in the first preseason game went firmly to sixth-round rookie Cam Miller over Aidan O’Connell. O’Connell’s day was not without positives, but a couple of second quarter interceptions derailed momentum on some drives. When Miller came in for the fourth quarter, however, he rallied the Raiders from down ten points with a pair of scoring drives, including a beautiful 41-yard touchdown pass to Shedrick Jackson. It would not be surprising to see Miller get more reps throughout the rest of the offseason to see if he can capitalize on the momentum. Clutch defensive play After tying the game, the Raiders had to stop Jalen Milroe and the Seahawks from going down the field. On third down, the Raiders finally managed to get their first sack of the day from Treven Ma’ae. It was the first major play the defense made all game, giving the Raiders serious momentum for their final drive. Unfortunately, they could not finish off the Seahawks in the end, as they blocked a 55-yard field goal attempt from Daniel Carlson to clinch the tie.
NBA Analyst Believes Former League MVP Would 'Flourish' With Knicks Amid Free Agency Rumors
The New York Knicks entered the offseason looking to make some small upgrades to their roster as they try to build of their run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Of course, the Knicks are set to bring back their core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges next season but one area they needed to improve was their bench. That is exactly what the Knicks focused on during free agency as they signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, filling two key holes in their second unit. After signing both Yabusele and Clarkson, New York still does have one more roster space open and they have been linked to many players. Rachel Nichols believes Knicks should sign Russell Westbrook Two player who have garnered the most attention from the Knicks are Ben Simmons and Russell Westbrook and NBA analyst Rachel Nichols believes that Westbrook would “flourish” in New York. “That’s a team that needs a guy like him. That actually has a slot for a guy like him. I think he would flourish in New York,” Nichols said on the Open Floor podcast. “I think New York fans would love him, and I think he would be able to fill that sort of vet energy role really well.” Nichols does make a great point about Westbrook being a solid fit in New York off the bench as the backup point guard behind Brunson. Of course, Westbrook revitalized his NBA career last season with the Denver Nuggets as he proved that he could still be a key piece both off the bench and in the starting lineup on a contending team. Last season, the former MVP averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 44.9% from the field and 32.3% from three. For the Knicks, adding Westbrook to their roster would give them another great scorer and playmaker off the bench and would allow Miles McBride to slot in as the backup shooting guard with Clarkson being a forward. By signing Westbrook, the Knicks would be able to upgrade their bench even more this offseason and with the East being weakened due to injuries, New York could be the team to beat next season in the conference.
The 'Single-season touchdown catch leaders by franchise' quiz
The Philadelphia Eagles begin their Super Bowl title defense with a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals tonight. Defending the Lombardi Trophy is incredibly difficult, as receiver A.J. Brown mentioned when asked about what the Eagles need to do to go back-to-back. “I like to say, the Lombardi, she’s not loyal,” Brown said. “We gotta try to win her over again.” “The process of the daily grind is still the same. Once you look at it through that lens, you just got to go back to work. All that stuff is over with.” Which brings us to today’s quiz. Since bursting onto the NFL scene with the Tennessee Titans in 2019, Brown has been one of the most reliable wide receivers in the league. With that being said, can you name every player with the most touchdown catches in a season for each NFL franchise? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
