On May 31, 1965, Jim Clark, driving a Ford-powered Lotus, won the classic Indy 500 race, becoming the only person in motorsport history to combine this achievement with winning the Formula 1 title in the same season.
To commemorate the Scottish racing great's victory, the Wood Brothers Racing team, which competes in the NASCAR Cup Series' top division, decided to paint their No. 21 Ford Mustang in the same green and yellow color scheme that Lotus cars wore at the time.
Moreover, this action has an absolutely serious historical justification: the fact is that the Wood Brothers team then, half a century ago, provided technical support to Team Lotus, and its crew, working with Jim Clark's car, included the Wood brothers themselves – Glenn, Leonard, Delano and Ray Lee.
They founded their team 15 years earlier, and it was already racing in NASCAR back then. Their ability to make quick and precise pit stops was one of the key factors in Clark's victory – along with the driver's skill, of course.
The Wood Brothers team unveiled the commemorative livery for their car at a special ceremony held at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, where the Lotus that Jim Clark drove in the Indy 500 is also on display.
Today, the team is run by the children and grandchildren of its founders, and one of them, John Wood, president of Wood Brothers Racing, said in his speech: “This was a really interesting project that we worked on together with the team, trying to take into account all the nuances so that it would accurately reflect such an important historical moment.
“This project is especially meaningful because of all the connections our family has to that Indy 500 win, especially since we're displaying it at the Henry Ford Museum next to that car. Dressing our No. 21 Ford Mustang in those colors is a great way to celebrate that win, and I think the fans will appreciate it.”
Another point worth mentioning is that on April 6, the No. 21 car, painted in this historic color scheme, will line up at the oval race in Darlington, South Carolina. Sixty years ago, it was at Darlington Raceway that the first conversation took place between a Ford Motor Company representative and Glenn Wood, when the Wood Brothers team was approached about joining forces with Team Lotus to work on the Indy 500.
The Wood Brothers' 2025 driver is Josh Berry, who made a splash last Sunday by winning the Las Vegas oval race to give the team its 101st win in its history.
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