Rutledge Wood is no stranger to the motorsports community.
With an extensive racing resume that includes on-air roles with Top Gear and Netflix’s The Floor Is Lava, as well as serving as an analyst covering series such as NASCAR, Wood has built a dynamic career in the industry.
However, competing in sanctioned racing is a relatively recent challenge that the University of Georgia graduate continues to embrace as he returns with Precision Racing LA for his second season in the Toyota GR Cup North America championship.
Ryan Eversley’s Brainchild
Wood’s journey back behind the wheel began with longtime friend and fellow racer Ryan Eversley, who encouraged the veteran broadcaster to turn his interest in the GR Cup cars into an opportunity to compete.
“It was such an amazing experience. This whole idea was really my friend Ryan Eversley’s brainchild,” Wood said. “And this is my 15th year as a Toyota ambassador. And it’s something that I’m so proud in my career to have a company like that, that is so big globally, to believe in me and what I do in my career. And from ‘Floor Is Lava’ to NASCAR, you know, they’ve been a part of everything great in my career.”
The partnership initially produced four races for Wood during the previous season, with stops at Circuit of The Americas, Road America, Barber Motorsports Park and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Wood closed that campaign with two podium finishes at Indianapolis in the Legends class.
The experience quickly changed Wood’s perception of what it meant to compete in a professional racing environment.
“Last year, we ran four races. We did COTA, we did Road America, Barber, and Indy. And I finished the year with two podiums at Indy in the Legends class,” Wood said. “And it was just the thrill of a lifetime, man.”
That experience led Wood back to the series for another campaign, with Precision Racing LA welcoming him back and Toyota continuing its support.
Three and a Half Seconds Faster
Wood said the competitive level of the GR Cup field quickly became apparent during his first season.
“It took me winning that for people to realize that I was a decent driver,” Wood said. Understandably, in Top Gear, like Tanner (Foust) whoops everybody at everything. He’s one of the greatest race car drivers ever. So it was like, I thought that was real racing. And then I showed up and I saw at COTA last year, I was like, my God, this is the most competitive thing I’ve ever done in my life. It’s so intense. The level of talent in this group is so high.”
Wood returned to Road America having already gained experience from his first season, and the progress was evident.
“I come back and now I’m at tracks that I’ve run at before. And so I was, I think, three and a half seconds faster this year than I was last year,” Wood said. “Now, other people also got faster. But for me, that’s a huge accomplishment and something that felt really, really good.”
That improvement translated into another podium at Road America, where Wood battled through changing conditions during the weekend. Rain arrived for Saturday’s race, creating another learning experience for a driver continuing to develop his craft. Wood recalled working with Eversley over the radio as the team considered whether to switch from slick tires to rain tires.
“Ryan let me make the call. He was like, bro, it’s up to you. I wouldn’t. But this is your race. I want you to feel like you’re in charge of it,” Wood said.
Ultimately, Wood elected to remain on slick tires as conditions developed.
“I don’t want to say I like racing in the rain because dry is so much more fun,” Wood said.
Mentor and Competitor
While Wood is competing against the young talent throughout the GR Cup field, his role within Toyota’s racing program extends beyond his own results. As a Toyota ambassador, Wood sees himself as both a competitor and mentor to drivers progressing through the manufacturer’s development ladder.
“Well, you know, I’m there to be—it’s interesting because I’m both there to be a mentor and a competitor, yeah, and to have truly—to have a brand like Toyota and Toyota Racing believe in me enough to know that I can do that is a huge honor,” Wood said.
Wood specifically pointed to Toyota’s development system and the number of young drivers who have used GR Cup and other Toyota-supported programs as a launching point for their careers. He also emphasized the importance of the personal stories behind those drivers, including the challenges they face away from the racetrack.
“I keep telling them, like, I can’t wait to interview y’all at a racetrack one day, like at a big one,” Wood said. “This is going to be—this is going to be really fun.”
That perspective is rooted in Wood’s own career as a broadcaster. After spending years interviewing drivers, Wood said his approach has always centered on allowing competitors to show their personalities rather than attempting to catch them with a “gotcha” question.
“I think here’s what’s interesting: when drivers, you know, my whole career I’ve spent never trying to put drivers in any kind of a hole. I always wanted them to shine because I believe that the personality of the drivers and who they are, that’s what makes people pull for them,” Wood said.
That philosophy has also carried over into his own development as a driver. Wood said the relationships he has built throughout the motorsports industry have allowed him to seek advice from other competitors, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., who reviewed video from Wood’s Road America weekend and provided feedback.
“I think because I have spent so much time investing in racing and racers, I think they spend time back investing in me to know that, like, hey, we appreciate this thing that you’re doing,” Wood said.
Building Fun Times
Wood’s racing program has also provided an opportunity to showcase another growing part of his career: Fun Time Soda Pop.
Wood is a co-founder and chief brand officer of the beverage company, which began after his youngest daughter experienced issues with synthetic dyes. The company focuses on cane sugar and fruit-based flavors, with offerings including Chill and Cherry, Groovy Grape, Blue Razz and an orange vanilla flavor.
Seeing the Fun Time Soda Pop branding on his GR Cup car at Road America represented a full-circle moment for Wood.
“But I can tell you, when I walked up and I saw that new paint scheme and I saw a Fun Time Soda on the door and on the hood, it was just one of the coolest things ever,” Wood said.
The Road America weekend ultimately ended with Wood’s car being damaged on Sunday, but it also left him with a unique souvenir.
“I will now get to hang up the hood of the car because it was not able to be used after Sunday,” Wood said. “So I don’t know if I put that over my mantle. I feel like that’s probably better than the garage, but I’m really proud of that one.”
Fun Time Soda Pop has continued to expand beyond the racetrack, with Wood saying the brand is now available through multiple retail and distribution partners. Wood’s ambitions for the company also extend into motorsports. He hopes to eventually use Fun Time Soda Pop to support drivers across different levels of racing, including potentially sponsoring a Toyota entry in NASCAR.
“I really want to get us on some sort of Toyota car in NASCAR. I got to aim high. I’m saying Cup Series is going to happen, right?” Wood said. “Yeah. I know it’s a big one, but I believe in it.”
Barber, Indianapolis and Beyond
For now, Wood’s immediate racing focus remains on the GR Cup season. He is preparing for his return to the track this weekend to Barber Motorsports Park before closing his campaign at Indianapolis, two tracks where he has already developed a strong appreciation for the challenges involved.
“I’m super excited to go back there and really give it my all,” Wood said of Barber.
At Indianapolis, Wood will once again look to build on the experience he gained during his first season and his progress throughout the current campaign.
“I can’t wait to get back there, hopefully get back on the podium at both of these,” Wood said.
Beyond the GR Cup calendar, Wood’s schedule remains packed with broadcasting, hosting, Toyota ambassador responsibilities and the continued development of Fun Time Soda Pop. He is also preparing for the debut of Adventure Garage, a new show he filmed with Bear Grylls, while continuing appearances and hosting responsibilities throughout the automotive industry. Whether another GR Cup season awaits him in 2027 remains uncertain.
“I don’t know if this will be it for me in the GR Cup Series. I don’t know if I’ll come back. Next year, it always just kind of depends on what everybody’s schedule looks like,” Wood said.
For Wood, however, the appeal extends beyond simply adding another racing season to his résumé.
“I’m going to keep working on fun stuff like that in the meantime,” Wood said. “But just having the time of my life, getting to live this brand.”
