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John Woody Howard
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BIRTHDATE:
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September 9th, 1981
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PLACE OF BIRTH:
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Oakland, California
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RESIDENCE:
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Davidson, North Carolina
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MARITAL STATUS:
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Single
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PARENTS:
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Randy and Donna Howard
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SIBLINGS:
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Helene and Jessica
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HEIGHT / WEIGHT:
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5'11 155 lbs.
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NICKNAME:
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Woody Wood; HollyWood
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| Jim Dean
Team Owner
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Crew Chief
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Front Tire Changer
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Rear Tire Changer
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| Frank Falk
Crew
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Jack Man
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Front Tire Carrier
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Rear Tire Carrier
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Mechanic
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| Jasun Bird
Crew
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| Frank Costa
Crew
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| Stephen Roane
Fuel Man
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Mechanic
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- 2006 Finished 3rd in points for USAR ProCup Championship Series.
- 2006 Won Inaugural Race at Iowa International Speedway.
- 2006 Finished the 2006 USAR ProCup season with 1 win, 8 top fives, and 13 top tens in 19 starts. Fifth in points for the Northern Division.
- 2005 USAR Hooters ProCup Miller Lite Rookie of the Year Champion, 9 time Rookie of the Race.
- 2005 USAR Hooters ProCup Miller Lite Rookie of the Year, Northern Division. 12 starts; 3 wins; 5 top 5's; 9 top 10's; 3rd in points overall.
- 2005/2006 Signed as Developmental Driver for Joe Gibbs Racing Team.
- 2005 Makes USAR Hooters Pro-Cup Debut in the #55 Dean Motorsports Chevy Monte Carlo.
- 2004 Won USAR Stars first ever start at Anderson Speedway. 22 Late Model Stock Car Starts at various tracks along the eastern seaboard with 5 wins; 16 top 5's. Won Legend Race at Langley Speedway.
- 2003 Winner of the South Boston’s season finale, Virginia is for Lovers 300.
- 2002 Won the Southampton Motor Speedway Late Model Stock
Car track championship.
- 2001 Langley Speedway Legends Champion. Voted Most Popular Driver.
- 2001 Second Place LMSC Points Champion at Langley Speedway.
- 2000 Late Model Stock Car Rookie of the Year at Langley Speedway.
- 1999 Won the Legends division, Little Race Cars
Triple Crown $25,000 prize for winning two track championships, Southampton Motor Speedway and Southside Speedway.
- 1998 VA State Semi-Pro Legends Champion; Rookie of the Year Champion at Southampton Motor Speedway and Langley Speedway.
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A career in racing at some level, possibly
Nextel Cup.
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- Woody does a lot of his own repairs and upkeep on the race car. He builds his own shocks and does chassis set-up’s along with close friend, crew-chief-in-training and former Legends teammate, Stephen Roane.
- Woody teaches Legends driving schools and does chassis setups
for Legends.
- Woody graduated from Western Branch High School in Chesapeake,
VA in 1999. He started his racing career at the age of 8 racing go-karts with his dad as a hobby at various Virginia and Carolina tracks, winning many races at numerous tracks.
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- 1998 VA State Semi-Pro Legends Champion
- 1998 Southampton Motor Speedway Rookie of the Year/Legends
- 1998 Langley Speedway Rookie of the Year/Legends
- 1999 VA State Pro Legends Champion
- 1999 Southside Speedway Legends Champion
- 1999 Southampton Motor Speedway Legends Champion
- 1999 Langley Speedway Most Popular Driver/ Legends
- 1999 Southside Speedway Most Popular Driver/Legends
- 2000 Langley Speedway Late Model Stock Car Rookie of the
Year
- 2001 Langley Speedway Late Model 2nd Place Points Winner
- 2001 Langley Speedway Most Popular Driver/Legends
- 2001 Langley Speedway Legends Champion
- 2002 Southampton Motor Speedway Late Model Stock Champion
- 2003 South Boston Speedway 3 wins during season and winner
of season finale, Bailey’s 300
- 2004 Wins USAR STARS race at Anderson Speedway; 22 Late Model Starts with 5 wins and 16 top 5's.
- 2005 Signs Driver Development Deal with Joe Gibbs Racing; Makes USAR Hooters Pro Cup debut.
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Woody realized his dream at an early age and at 16 he made the decision, with the help of his family, to move up to Legends Cars. In his first year he won three races, had 15 top 5's, and 23 top 10's while clinching the 1998 VA Semi-Pro Championship.
Woody won Rookie of the Year honors at Langley and Southampton Speedways and was runner-up in points at both tracks as well. Such success in only his first year not only brought Woody recognition and respect from the other drivers and fans but he was also hired to work for and was sponsored by the Virginia Legends dealer for the 1999 season.
In 1999 while setting and holding the track record for qualifying at Langley Speedway, throughout the year he racked up 15 wins between Langley Speedway, Southampton Motor Speedway, and Southside Speedway’s had 29 top 3's, and finished out of the top 10 only twice in 39 races. It was here where he earned the nickname "Rocketman."
In 2000, Woody moved up to the Late Model Stock Cars. He raced a full schedule at Langley and made about half of the races at Southampton. Although not running for points his first year he still managed to finish 9th in points at Southampton Motor Speedway and 8th at Langley Speedway while receiving Rookie of the Year honors from Langley Speedway.
During the 2001 season Woody ran for points in the Late Model Stock Car and Legends divisions at Langley Speedway. He finished 2nd to long time veteran and 7-time champ Phil Warren in LMSC. Juggling two driving classes did not slow him down as he finished as the track Champion in the Legends division with 9 wins out of 11 races.
The 2002 racing season started with a championship in mind and his focus being Southampton Motor Speedway. A slew of top Nascar Late Model Stock drivers were all planning on racing for the title. Drivers such as Phil Warren, Brandon Butler, Denny Hamlin, Frank Deiny, Terry Allison, were all among our contenders but Woody prevailed with his first Nascar Late Model Stock championship!
In 2003 he took home the big win in the season finale at South Boston’s, Virginia is for Lovers 300. In 2004 he made the decision to get seat time at various tracks up and down the eastern seaboard. With 22 Late Model Starts he had 5 wins and 16 top 5's. In his first ever USAR Stars start he took home the win at Anderson Speedway in Anderson, SC.
Woody's success didn't go unnoticed. In 2005 Legendary car owner Jim Dean, who fielded Late Model Stock cars for Mark McFarland and Denny Hamlin in recent years, called offering him a chance to drive for his newly-formed Hooters Pro Cup team. But the phone didn’t stop ringing and the good news didn’t end there.
Following in the footsteps of former South Boston competitor, Denny Hamlin, Woody was contacted by Joe Gibbs Racing and signed to a driver development deal.
And this is just the beginning!
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