You just can’t put a price on the gift of gab. But for one industry behind-the-scenes man, it’s not the ability to have the right words that move the needle; it’s the sincerity in his Australian accent that seals the deal.
Victor Wood has spent over four decades in the drag racing industry, developing deep ties within the community and contributing significantly to its growth. Now serving as the Sales Development and Race Team Relationships Manager for
Sander Engineering, Wood’s expertise and experience have carried well through the sometimes bumpy roads of the drag racing industry.
A good measure of Wood’s longevity has been in his unbridled passion for the straight-line sport, which began as an eight-year-old child at the Camperdown Club Sprints in Victoria, Australia.
“I was hooked,” Wood said. “When I was a sophomore in high school, and was a member of the Steel City Drag Club, a dirt clay track. I had no idea that love would take me to where I am today. I think drag racing people are salt of the earth people. That was what first hooked me on the sport.”
Wood graduated high school at 16 and drag raced a few years before heading off to build a career in the real world. He earned an MBA in Marketing and Business Administration, and his energy and eagerness earned him an executive role in Australian football with the Richmond Tigers, based in Melbourne.
However, it was former NHRA executive Carl Olson who would forever change the trajectory of his involvement in motorsports. Olson inspired Wood to come to the SEMA show.
“Carl said, ‘Well, the best thing you could do is start showing up at the SEMA show, and that’s where you’ll find all the manufacturers.”
Wood not only found the manufacturers but also gained the eye of SEMA, who hired him and relocated him to the United States.
Wood eventually landed a position with SEMA, which led to two life-changing opportunities. He relocated to the United States, where he made one of his greatest relationships.
“I met my now-wife of 25 years at SEMA,” Wood said, adding a personal touch to his career journey. His professional and personal aspirations aligned, allowing him to establish deeper connections across regions.
Wood’s tenure with SEMA allowed him to forge vital relationships that helped shape drag racing on both national and international stages. He later transitioned to business roles, including general manager positions at McLeod and then Aeromotive.
The lure of drag racing brought him back to his first love, where he enjoyed a successful stint as promoter of Adelaide International Raceway. His success led to an even larger role at the Australian National Drag Racing Association [ANDRA], where he helped develop their contingency programs. Wood’s talents shined through and eventually earned a spot with Europe’s FIA Series, also building their contingency program.
Then the pandemic hit, sending the aftermarket industry into a tailspin. Wood got caught in the wash of the downward trend and found himself on the outside looking in.
During this time, a friend and industry colleague, Doug Lane, approached him with an opportunity to work alongside sprint car champion Jason Meyers, who needed guidance on managing his newly acquired wheel company, Sander.
“That opportunity kept me in the game,” Wood said, acknowledging that he did not want to retire just yet. “I’ve had friends who stop, and then they die. I’m going to ride the horse for as long as I can.”
Marking a transition in his career, Wood accepted the role with Meyers, focusing on building relationships within the racing community. He described his work as being “Vic Wood” at races, where he identifies customer needs and facilitates solutions. One of his recent innovations is the EZ Fit Liner wheel, which significantly simplifies the process of fitting tires.
“Typically, [fitting tires] has been a hell of a battle, regardless of brand,” Wood explained. “With the EZ Fit Liner, it now takes about five minutes to get a liner and tire on the wheel. I started working with Doug Gordon, who was kind enough to let me experiment on his car during a championship year.”
Wood remains committed to the sport and open to ideas to make Sander even better while ensuring that he carries the wisdom of his experiences into the future. He embodies the spirit of drag racing, valuing connections and innovation that have helped him navigate the ever-evolving landscape of motorsports.
And Wood laughs when he recalls when he asked for his job description, “I asked, ‘What do you want me to do?”
“And he said, ‘Based on what I’ve heard, I want you to be Vic Wood.”
Come to think of it, that’s what Wood does best.
