Woody's NASCAR Wish

Woody’s parents had no idea, when they started their family of four children, that the two boys would have a rare genetic illness that would one day claim their lives, or that their two daughters would be carriers of the same disease. Having lost one son already, they treasure times with Woody, knowing that they will soon be memories.

Woody, only seven, suffers constantly from the intestinal and neurological side effects of his illness. Seizures and a stroke have already weakened the left side of his small body. And although Woody’s family is now adept at crisis planning, they still disrupt family life on a regular basis for long trips from southern Utah to Primary Children’s Hospital. They struggle to carve out times, and reasons, for family celebration.

Meanwhile, Woody has found his own way to cope with illness. He immerses himself in a NASCAR fantasy world. His mom explains: "After Woody watches a NASCAR event, he relives each race and each pass. He can name all the drivers and all the cars, and all the sponsors, too."

Small wonder then, that Woody wished for a racetrack in his backyard, scaled to fit his Power Wheels toys. He did not want a remote-control set or a raised track. The track had to be on the ground—of that he was quite, quite sure. It had to be outside, and it needed a tunnel, pit row, and a lake in the middle, just like the real thing.

Wish granters listened closely to every detail of Woody’s fantasy. And they delivered a wish that was complete—right down to the last flag, trophy, and sponsor logo. Real "SmithTix" tickets invited family and friends to "Woody’s Daytona 500," a backyard NASCAR reenactment. Popcorn vendors, soda machines, and hot dogs kept the audience happy while Woody and his friends raced their Hot Wheel cars round and round the track. Each would-be driver experienced all the competitive bumps, crashes, and exhilaration of a real NASCAR race.


Sadly, as winter set in, Woody was unable to play with his outside track because his circulatory system shuts down when he is exposed to cold. Sensing the sincere loss that Woody would feel, Woody’s wishgranters set out to find an indoor version of the Daytona 500 that would work for Woody all year round. One call to the toy company Mattell yielded a surprise of the largest magnitude. Not only was the company willing to donate its Hot Wheels Daytona 500 indoor track—along with every single racing car they produced—but they also envisioned a custom-made Mattell car for Woody. All Woody had to do was decide on his colors and insignias and Mattell would design it! Woody chose green and blue with yellow accents, and soon two of the cars arrived—one in a collectors box with side and front views, the other for Woody to use on his indoor and outdoor Daytona 500 tracks. Additionally, Mattell gave Woody a Big Wheels power car—the racing style of course—with his name and all of his insignias on it. Now, whether on the track or around the neighborhood, Woody’s own car can wins the race every time!