Vicki Wood, the Lady Legend

Topics:  Vicki Wood

Jeremy T. Sellers
Jerm's Joint
February 13, 2009

On the Friday before the Daytona 500, The Living Legends of Auto Racing gather at the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse in Ponce Inlet, FL to show time-period race cars, sign autographs, and tell stories of racing's hay-day. It's an event I have now attended three years straight, and am never disappointed from what I take away. This year is no exception. Though I did arrive later in the day than usual, and missed the autograph signing, I was able to hob-knob with perhaps, one of the most unknown legends in the current NASCAR record books. Since I am on location, my in-depth research is limited due to the fact that this, after all, is my vacation! (insert laugh here)

Vicki Wood (no relation to the famous Wood Brothers Racing) is one of the most spunkiest ladies I have had the pleasure of meeting. I felt as if I towered over her, as I asked if it would be proper for me to pose with her while my step son snapped a picture. She happily agreed, telling me to "Get on over here!". A frail lady of almost 90 years, she still has a gleam in her eye and a passion for racing which dates back to 1958 at the Beach Road Course once here in Daytona. Today, she donned the same outfit as in the pictures she was signing of herself in a much younger day, standing beside her hot rod. Her only complaint? She couldn't remember things as clearly as she once did. Looking closely, you could see the bilateral hearing aids which obviously helped her with perfection. I did not once have to raise my voice. With this said, I will point you to her page on the Living Legends of Auto Racing website describing Vicki's accomplishments:  http://www.livinglegendsofautoracing.com/drivers_pages/drivers_vickie_w.html