After finishing 5th in the USAC Formula Super Vee standings in 1978 with a win at Trenton Speedway, Wood moved up to the CART/USAC Championship Car series in 1980 with Mergard Racing. He made his debut at the Ontario Motor Speedway and finished a respectable 12th place. He then failed to qualify for the 1980 Indianapolis 500. He returned in July to race on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course but crashed out on the first lap. He then failed to qualify for the fall race at the Milwaukee Mile and his Champ Car adventure was over.