Wood Brothers

Glen and Leonard Wood are among the many good people in NASCAR. They are NASCAR pioneers. Their Hall of Fame roster of drivers includes David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough, Neil Bonnett, Curtis Turner and Tiny Lund. Dale Jarrett won his first Winston Cup race driving for the Woods. People's affection for the Woods was evident in victory lane Sunday at Bristol. Elliott Sadler, earning his first Winston Cup victory in 75 starts, had just given the Woods their 97th career win, but their first since Morgan Shepherd in 1993 at Atlanta.

Ricky Rudd gave the Wood Brothers team its first pole in 20 years, taking the top spot yesterday in qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Rudd, in his second season driving for one of NASCAR's oldest teams, turned a fast lap of 191.180 m.p.h. in his Ford. Darrell Waltrip, who won here last fall, starts second today in the Aaron's 499. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. qualified third. Waltrip had a lap of 190.974. Earnhardt hit 190.336. The last pole for the Wood Brothers was by Buddy Baker, 630 races ago, on March 18, 1984, in Atlanta.

Young racers never know when their breakthrough will occur. For some promising drivers, the big break never happens. For others, like Steve Park, it happens suddenly. Park, 13th in the Winston Cup points standings, won his first Cup race earlier this month at Watkins Glen. Elliott Sadler, in his second season driving for the fabled Wood Brothers, still hasn't won a race. But last Saturday night, Sadler, 25, recorded his best career finish when he maneuvered around the .533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway and placed seventh in the goracing.

A decade ago they sat in a sea of empty 700-level seats at Veterans Stadium, wearing wolf masks, dancing and howling whenever Randy Wolf was on the mound. When Wolf pitched the first game at Citizens Bank Park in 2004, there was the Wolf Pack - eight Wood brothers: Kevin, Joe, John, Al, Jimmy, Charles, Tom and Patrick, along with first cousins Tommy, John, Mark and Jimmy Thompson. But after the 2006 season, Wolf became a Dodger, and he returned to LA this season after stints with the Padres and Astros last year.

Texas football coach Mack Brown and athletic director DeLoss Dodds announced that first-year defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will be signed to a new long-term deal that not only keeps him in his current role, but also designates him as Brown's successor. Muschamp, 37, had been linked to openings at Clemson, Tennessee and Washington among others. He held jobs at Louisiana State and with the Miami Dolphins under Nick Saban (now at No. 1 Alabama), and spent a season as Auburn's defensive coordinator before Brown hired him at Texas.

Ordinarily, a 10th-place finish isn't a reason for rejoicing. However, when you had the start to your rookie Winston Cup season that Elliott Sadler had, a 10th is party time. "It feels like a win for us," Sadler said. "The smiles on these guys faces [in the Wood Brothers shop] show it's a load off of everybody. " Before his 10th place at Texas on March 28, Sadler's best finish was 31st. Though the Wood Brothers never indicated they were restless, Sadler was concerned. "I was worried that my job was in jeopardy," Sadler said.

The Wolf Pack wore their masks and howled at the mound last night, just as they had for every other start by Phillies pitcher Randy Wolf at Veterans Stadium since 1999. They could have stayed home. Nobody would have blamed them if they had. One of the pack's key members, Thomas Wood, the youngest son of Broomall's James and Sally Wood, died Wednesday from injuries suffered in an auto accident April 5 in Roxborough. Wood had attended the Phillies' home opener earlier that day. He was 21. Last night, the Wolf Pack cheered, howled and danced the best they could.

WHEN IT COMES to fun 'n' flirty, fast-connecting female singer-songwriters, it's hard to top the charms of Carsie Blanton. Most rewardingly on her new "Idiot Heart" long player, tastefully underproduced by Oliver Wood (of Wood Brothers fame), Blanton delivers her lilting yet lustfully romantic originals with a featherlight vocal touch and a recklessly blunt lyric abandon. That makes for a combination punch at once sexy and ominous, especially on the shivery good track "A Little Death," or down-home giddy on the organ-rocking (by Rob Hyman)

Dale Jarrett will race one more time in the Daytona 500. The three-time Daytona winner is retiring six races into the season. "I'm really happy to get UPS and Michael Waltrip Racing's third car in [the race]," Jarrett said after a ninth-place finish in yesterday's second Gatorade 150-mile race gave him a spot in Sunday's 500. "It's very gratifying. " Jarrett, 51, will get the No. 44 Toyota into five subsequent races on the basis of past champion's points, then yield the ride to David Reutimann.

Robert Yates is bringing Ricky Rudd out of retirement to keep his sinking race team afloat, signing him yesterday to drive the full Nextel Cup schedule in 2007. Masterfoods USA will sponsor the car, with its Snickers brand as the primary paint scheme. The car number was not immediately disclosed, but Yates needed a sponsor for his flagship No. 88 Ford. Rudd, 50, spent three successful years with Yates in the No. 28 Ford - a car not currently in use. He left Yates after the 2002 season to drive for the Wood Brothers, and left racing altogether after the 2005 season.

WHEN IT COMES to fun 'n' flirty, fast-connecting female singer-songwriters, it's hard to top the charms of Carsie Blanton. Most rewardingly on her new "Idiot Heart" long player, tastefully underproduced by Oliver Wood (of Wood Brothers fame), Blanton delivers her lilting yet lustfully romantic originals with a featherlight vocal touch and a recklessly blunt lyric abandon. That makes for a combination punch at once sexy and ominous, especially on the shivery good track "A Little Death," or down-home giddy on the organ-rocking (by Rob Hyman)

Regan Smith winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup race is comparable to the Kansas City Royals stunning the baseball world with a World Series title. This is no knock at Smith's racing ability or the Royals; it's about budgets. Smith's No. 78 Chevrolet team is based in Denver, home of team owner Barney Visser. This is a single-car operation, far from the center of NASCAR racing in North Carolina and far from the multicar heavyweights. Saturday night at Darlington Raceway, Smith inherited the lead on a late caution when crew chief Peter Rondeau decided to seize the track position over taking on new tires.

A decade ago they sat in a sea of empty 700-level seats at Veterans Stadium, wearing wolf masks, dancing and howling whenever Randy Wolf was on the mound. When Wolf pitched the first game at Citizens Bank Park in 2004, there was the Wolf Pack - eight Wood brothers: Kevin, Joe, John, Al, Jimmy, Charles, Tom and Patrick, along with first cousins Tommy, John, Mark and Jimmy Thompson. But after the 2006 season, Wolf became a Dodger, and he returned to LA this season after stints with the Padres and Astros last year.

Texas football coach Mack Brown and athletic director DeLoss Dodds announced that first-year defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will be signed to a new long-term deal that not only keeps him in his current role, but also designates him as Brown's successor. Muschamp, 37, had been linked to openings at Clemson, Tennessee and Washington among others. He held jobs at Louisiana State and with the Miami Dolphins under Nick Saban (now at No. 1 Alabama), and spent a season as Auburn's defensive coordinator before Brown hired him at Texas.

Dale Jarrett will race one more time in the Daytona 500. The three-time Daytona winner is retiring six races into the season. "I'm really happy to get UPS and Michael Waltrip Racing's third car in [the race]," Jarrett said after a ninth-place finish in yesterday's second Gatorade 150-mile race gave him a spot in Sunday's 500. "It's very gratifying. " Jarrett, 51, will get the No. 44 Toyota into five subsequent races on the basis of past champion's points, then yield the ride to David Reutimann.

Robert Yates is bringing Ricky Rudd out of retirement to keep his sinking race team afloat, signing him yesterday to drive the full Nextel Cup schedule in 2007. Masterfoods USA will sponsor the car, with its Snickers brand as the primary paint scheme. The car number was not immediately disclosed, but Yates needed a sponsor for his flagship No. 88 Ford. Rudd, 50, spent three successful years with Yates in the No. 28 Ford - a car not currently in use. He left Yates after the 2002 season to drive for the Wood Brothers, and left racing altogether after the 2005 season.

Ricky Rudd gave the Wood Brothers team its first pole in 20 years, taking the top spot yesterday in qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Rudd, in his second season driving for one of NASCAR's oldest teams, turned a fast lap of 191.180 m.p.h. in his Ford. Darrell Waltrip, who won here last fall, starts second today in the Aaron's 499. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. qualified third. Waltrip had a lap of 190.974. Earnhardt hit 190.336. The last pole for the Wood Brothers was by Buddy Baker, 630 races ago, on March 18, 1984, in Atlanta.

The Wolf Pack wore their masks and howled at the mound last night, just as they had for every other start by Phillies pitcher Randy Wolf at Veterans Stadium since 1999. They could have stayed home. Nobody would have blamed them if they had. One of the pack's key members, Thomas Wood, the youngest son of Broomall's James and Sally Wood, died Wednesday from injuries suffered in an auto accident April 5 in Roxborough. Wood had attended the Phillies' home opener earlier that day. He was 21. Last night, the Wolf Pack cheered, howled and danced the best they could.

Glen and Leonard Wood are among the many good people in NASCAR. They are NASCAR pioneers. Their Hall of Fame roster of drivers includes David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough, Neil Bonnett, Curtis Turner and Tiny Lund. Dale Jarrett won his first Winston Cup race driving for the Woods. People's affection for the Woods was evident in victory lane Sunday at Bristol. Elliott Sadler, earning his first Winston Cup victory in 75 starts, had just given the Woods their 97th career win, but their first since Morgan Shepherd in 1993 at Atlanta.

Young racers never know when their breakthrough will occur. For some promising drivers, the big break never happens. For others, like Steve Park, it happens suddenly. Park, 13th in the Winston Cup points standings, won his first Cup race earlier this month at Watkins Glen. Elliott Sadler, in his second season driving for the fabled Wood Brothers, still hasn't won a race. But last Saturday night, Sadler, 25, recorded his best career finish when he maneuvered around the .533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway and placed seventh in the goracing.