12 replies to this topic

[Mike Argetsinger]

I have just heard the sad news that Roy Woods has died (January 29) of complications from leukemia. I have not seen it mentioned elsewhere on TNF and thought others here may remember him.

He was a Trans-Am and Can-Am driver and team owner from 1969-1982. I have learned that he drove in 45 Trans-Am races, with two victories, both in 1979 - at Watkins Glen and Trois-Rivieres. He also earned ten podiums, 17 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes, and three poles.

As a team owner he ran both Trans-Am and Can-Am teams, and in 1972 he ran both simultaneously, with the same driver, George Follmer, and won both championships.

In Trans-Am, Follmer drove the famous factory red/white/blue AMC Javelin. In Can-Am, Follmer raced Woods' McLaren M8B.

Thanks to Press Snoop for the statistical data.

Roy Woods was a major figure in American road racing and we mourn his loss.

[rgsuspsa]

Mike: Thank you for informing the forum about Roy Woods.

Ron Sparks

[RX-7]

So sad. Another Can-Am great gone...

[Dave Ware]

I remember Roy Woods. He had an ambitious program in 1973, with support from Carling Black Label beer. He ran David Hobbs in the Can-Am, with a McLaren M20 against the Turbo Panzers. Scored a second place at the Glen. A podium photo of that race showed Hobbs holding a can of Carling beer in front of one of Donahue's racesuit sponsor patches. They also finished 5th at Indy; Hobb's best finish at the brickyard.

In F5000, Woods had Tony Adomiwitz. No victories, but I believe they had some podiums.

The paint scheme on all those cars was really nice - black with red stripes. Of course I'm partial to black cars anyway.

Roy Woods Racing. A great supporter of the sport.

Thanks for letting us know.

Dave

[theunions]

The Trans-Am press release announcing his death mentions both Jimmy Insolo and Dick Trickle (!) having raced in the series for him...anyone know when and where? I assume Insolo was at Riverside.

[Jesper O. Hansen]

Originally posted by theunions
The Trans-Am press release announcing his death mentions both Jimmy Insolo and Dick Trickle (!) having raced in the series for him...anyone know when and where? I assume Insolo was at Riverside.

According to motorsportsalmanac, Dick Trickle only ever started one Trans-Am race on August 9, 1981. A look at the official Trans-Am, says that this co-incides with a race at Brainerd International Raceway, where Trickle, in a Cooke-Woods Racing Camaro, retired after only one lap with engine failure.
That was better than his teammate Ralph Kent Cooke though, who was eliminated in a first lap crash.

Jesper

[Rob Ryder]

Jimmy Insolo finished 6th in the Cooke-Woods Chevy Camaro at Sear Point (25/10/81). One place behind George Follmer in the other Cooke-Woods Camaro.

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by Rob Ryder
Jimmy Insolo finished 6th in the Cooke-Woods Chevy Camaro at Sear Point (25/10/81). One place behind George Follmer in the other Cooke-Woods Camaro.

In addition to being one of the best Stock Car racers in Western U.S. history, Jim Insolo was a heck of a good road racer...as his outstanding performances against the NASCAR regulars at Riverside showed. '81 would have been after he began to scale back his racing, and stopped racing at Riverside, reportedly over the death of Tim Williamson there.

Thanks for the details. I would have guessed Riverside too, but I also recall Insolo making a Trans-Am start in one of the preliminary events to CART on the Caesar's Palace "modified oval".

Without checking the stats, he qualified well (3rd or 4th?), ran up front and led before something happened to the car...all the more impressive considering the race was his first in a couple of years.

And I also recall Roy Woods and his ARA team. He was quite a presence in U.S. racing in the early 70's, and thought of at the time as "the next Penske".

[theunions]

Whatever happened to Insolo?

[Mallory Dan]

Cooke-Woods Racing had the first 'proper GTP car, the Lola T600, Super-Brian won the 81 IMSA series in it as I recall. Real Sportscars were back !

The next year they also had one of the 2 T610s made, only raced at LM I think in 82 and 83. Terrible car IIRC.

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by theunions
Whatever happened to Insolo?

He had some heart trouble, but had an operation that improved his health and has done spotting in Winston West and Southwest Tour. Unfortunately, I forget now which team(s) he worked with.

When espn2 televised the Winter Heat series from Tucson, he was a spotter for some team.

[ReWind]

Does anyone know where Roy Woods hailed from, how old he was (at least approximately) and whether or not he was a widower (since 2001)?

Reason for these questions of mine is that I came across a website providing full name, birth date and home town (?) for a certain Roy Woods. But I’m not sure whether or not THAT Roy Woods is THIS Roy Woods.

BTW: A Roy Woods Memorial TransAm Award has been established by George Follmer.

[lajolla1986]

Can't give you much info, but he was from Oklahoma City.