Ryan Wood was blisteringly fast but equally unlucky last year. Will his luck turn with a new manufacturer?
Ryan Wood's second Supercars season was a rollercoaster ride of results and emotions.
The highs were electrifying, namely a maiden race win and pole position in Perth, picking up a further six podiums, and a superb drive to control the Repco Bathurst 1000.
However, the lows were shattering. Mechanical woes cost him several great results, including a potential Bathurst win, and a real shot at the championship.
Regardless of his 10th place points finish, the 22-year-old Kiwi well and truly arrived last year, even beating teammate Chaz Mostert in the qualifying head-to-head.
Wood showed plenty of promise as the pick of the rookies in 2024, claiming front row and top four finishes in his first season with Walkinshaw Andretti United.
Before his main game journey began, the young Kiwi was one of a host of Dunlop Super2 Series rookies in 2023, joining WAU as the main game squad returned to the second tier for the first time in over a decade.
He delivered, winning more races, rounds and poles than any other driver. He was tasked with replacing Nick Percat and partnering none other than Chaz Mostert, and didn't let himself down.
The 21-year-old New Zealander arrived at WAU via Porsche New Zealand and Earl Bamber Motorsport having completed an impressive maiden season of racing in Australia in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge.
Wood claimed four out of six round wins and a sweep of all six pole positions on the way to a narrow second-placing behind Thomas Sargent in the Pro Class standings.
Although guaranteed graduation to Porsche Carrera Cup Australia via the Team Porsche New Zealand scholarship, Wood instead elected to move directly onto the Supercars ladder in order to pursue a career in the main game.
A multiple karting champion in his native New Zealand, Wood earned the Team Porsche NZ scholarship after impressing in his first two seasons of car racing. Graduating into the country's Toyota 86 racing series for 2021, Wood won six out of 15 races and claimed six pole positions, but a puncture in the final race of the season led him to finish third in the standings.
He then raced a Porsche 991 Cup Car in the 2021/22 South Island Endurance Series, winning the series without losing a single race.