Len and Eddie Wood [#21 Ford] say they’ve got their sponsorship deals in place for 2009, with Ford Motor Company and Motorcraft. But they are noncommittal about reports that the six team owners of the one-car Hall of Fame Racing operation (which runs #96 and is officially owned by Jeff Moorad,) are negotiating with the Woods to become Ford partners next season [Jayski Note: Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Bill Saunders and Mark Griege are no longer part of the ownership group on the #96 as of about a month ago]. Ken Schrader, a former driver for the Woods, is the Moorad team’s current driver. Moorad has been running a Toyota operation this season, with engineering support from Joe Gibbs; but that support contract is apparently up at the end of this season.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-27-2008) UPDATE: A relationship with the legendary #21 Wood Brothers and Ford is an option for the #96 team owned by Arizona Diamondbacks’ executives Jeff Moorad and Tom Garfinkel. “It’s fair to say we’re assessing all of our options,” said Moorad. “We should know in the next couple of weeks. Our intention is the 96 continues, but we’re open-minded. We’ve talked to a couple of teams about some interesting merger possibilities and yet we may be in business on our own.” The team currently gets its Toyota chassis and engines from Joe Gibbs Racing, a deal that expires at season’s end. Multiple sources told The Republic it’s not expected the #96 will continue with Toyota. The Wood Brothers have long been with Ford.(Arizona Republic)(11-11-2008)
