Rutledge Wood

Rutledge Wood is an auto‑racing analyst and charismatic television personality known for his infectious enthusiasm and deep love of cars. Raised in Georgia, Wood studied marketing at the University of Georgia and got his start in motorsports by traveling the NASCAR circuit as part of a Country Music Television marketing team.

He built his TV career at SPEED Channel (later Fox Sports 1), where he served as a correspondent on "NASCAR RaceDay" and hosted or co‑hosted several NASCAR-themed shows, including the "Speed Road Tour Challenge" in 2007, "NASCAR Smarts," "NASCAR Live," and special coverage like the NASCAR Awards Banquet. From 2007 until 2013, Wood was also a regular reporter and panelist on "NASCAR Trackside."

In 2010, Wood became one of the three co-hosts of the American version of "Top Gear" on the History Channel, alongside Adam Ferrara and Tanner Foust—a role he held through 2016. In 2015, he launched his own show on History, "Lost in Transmission," where he traveled across the South restoring neglected classic cars with his friend George Flanigen.

More recently, Wood has hosted a string of popular Netflix and NBC competition series, including "Hyperdrive," "The American Barbecue Showdown," and the family obstacle‑course game show "Floor Is Lava." In May 2023, he took on hosting duties for NBC’s "Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge."