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Vicki Wood
American racing driver (1919–2020) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Victoria Rose Wood[1] (née Raczak; March 15, 1919 – June 5, 2020), known as "the fastest woman in racing",[2] was an American professional automobile racer and one of the first women to compete in NASCAR.[2]
Early life
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Wood was the only girl in a family of seven children.[3] Her parents were homemaker Rose Krok Raczak and contractor Paul Raczak.[1] She worked odd jobs after high school.[2] In 1941, she married Tom Fitzpatrick, who died in Germany late in World War II. In 1947, she wed Clarence "Skeeter" Wood.[3]
Career
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In 1953, her husband took her to a "powder puff" race at Motor City Speedway in Detroit.[2][4] She commented, "If I couldn't drive any better than that, I'd quit".[3] A week later, her husband had borrowed a 1937 Dodge coupe for her to compete and she finished ninth of the 25 women racing in the event that day.[3] The next night they went to a race at Mount Clemens where she won her first race.[2][4]
She became the first woman to compete against men in races in Michigan.[3] She also set a number of women's records at American race tracks, including fastest lap (130.3 mph) and fastest one-way mark (150.375) at Daytona International Speedway in 1959 and 1960, respectively, and at Atlanta International Speedway in 1961.[4]
In 1958, a magazine ad for Pontiac automobiles featured Wood in a photograph and the accompanying text that noted "... Vicki Wood and her '58 Pontiac taught men drivers a lesson in winning the 50 m.p.h. safe passing event".[5]
She retired from racing in 1963. In the late 1960s she and her husband moved to Florida, where she worked in a department store.
Wood was inducted into the Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.[6]
On June 5, 2020, Wood died in a hospital in Troy, Michigan, at age 101.[1]
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