Precision Racing L.A. has announced that television presenter and Toyota ambassador Rutledge Wood will run four of the remaining GR Cup North America race weekends, beginning next week at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Wood will also race at Road America, Barber Motorsports Park, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, in the #18 Toyota GR86 Cup car with a livery featuring both a plaid and 1990s ‘Jazz Cup’ motif.
He has been training for his new assignment with the help of PRLA’s ace driver and driving coach Ryan Eversley. Wood will join team-mates Karl Forman and Mike LaMarra who took part in the opening GR Cup rounds at Sonoma.
“I couldn’t be more excited to jump into the driver’s seat and join the Toyota GR Cup Series for four race weekends in 2025,” said Rutledge Wood. “Cars have always been a huge part of my life, and having the opportunity to have some fun in the incredible Toyota GR86 is a dream come true. I need to give a huge thank you to Mario Biundo, (President and Team Principal, Precision Racing L.A.), and his team for helping start the idea around this programme, and everyone at Toyota for making it happen. I had the privilege of racing in the Toyota Pro Celebrity event years ago and can’t wait to get behind the wheel in this incredible series as well.”
Wood rose to prominence as a NASCAR on-air personality for SPEED Channel, FOX, and NBC Sports. He has been the co-presenter of History Channel’s Top Gear USA, the Netflix game show Floor Is Lava, and most recently hosted the NBC primetime competition series, Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge.
He continues a recent trend of on-air celebrities getting involved in motorsport through GR Cup. At last year’s Indianapolis finale, Hollywood superstar Keanu Reeves made his return to racing for the first time since the days of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Races at Long Beach – joined by Dude Perfect‘s Cody “Tall Guy” Jones, who made his racing debut. Not to mention, Wood was a previous winner of the Celebrity class at Long Beach, in 2013.
“Rutledge’s name has always been in conversation between Ryan and I when we talk about high-quality humans in the automotive space. I thought having him on the team would be a billboard to others that if Rutledge can race, so can you. I pitched the idea to Mike Pricer at TRD and he agreed to make this opportunity of a lifetime come true. To all of those wondering if they can race, if Rut can race, so can you. We welcome Rutledge to our racing family with open arms,” said PRLA’s President/Team Principal Biundo.
Pending publication of the entry list for next week’s races, Wood – who turns 45 exactly one week from today – will be eligible for GR Cup’s new Legends Cup class. The new category awards $5,000 prizes for the highest-finishing eligible driver in each race, plus a six-race championship held as part of the GR Cup rounds at COTA, Road America, and Indianapolis – which awards an additional $5,000 for its champion.
Images © Toyota, Precision Racing L.A.
