48 Facts About Ricky Rudd

Ricky Rudd is the uncle of actor Skeet Ulrich and former NASCAR Busch Series driver Jason Rudd.

Ricky Rudd was named the 2006 Virginian of the Year and was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

Ricky Rudd began racing as a teenager in karting and motocross, but did not attempt stock car racing until he was eighteen years old, when he made his NASCAR debut at North Carolina Speedway in 1975, driving the No 10 Ford for family friend Bill Champion.

Ricky Rudd then ran an additional three races for Champion, his best finish being a tenth at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Ricky Rudd drove another four races in 1976 for his father, posting another tenth finish at the Firecracker 400.

Ricky Rudd went full-time in 1977, again driving the No 22 for his father.

Ricky Rudd had ten Top 10 finishes and was named Rookie of the Year.

In 1981, Ricky Rudd signed with DiGard Motorsports to drive the No 88 car.

In 1982 Ricky Rudd stepped into the No 3 Pontiac for Richard Childress Racing.

Ricky Rudd had six Top 5s but dropped down to ninth in the points standings.

Ricky Rudd was able to get his first two career wins in 1983 at Riverside and Martinsville respectively, but he again finished ninth in points.

Ricky Rudd ran the only three Busch Series races of his career that season, winning in his debut event at Dover Downs.

The move came after Earnhardt signed with Childress, leaving Ricky Rudd disappointed and out of a ride until he drove for Moore.

Ricky Rudd's eyes were swollen so badly he taped his eyes open to be able to race in the Daytona 500, as well as a flak jacket for his rib injury.

Ricky Rudd won his first race for this team in only his second start at Richmond and improved to seventh in points.

Ricky Rudd moved up one spot in points in the following season, and then a career-best 5th-place finish in 1986.

Ricky Rudd joined King Racing beginning in 1988 in the No 26 Buick Regal owned by drag racing legend Kenny Bernstein.

Ricky Rudd struggled with engine failures all season long and finished 11th in the point standings, his worst points finish in eight years.

At North Wilkesboro, Ricky Rudd was fined $10,000 for actions detrimental to stock car racing after spinning Dale Earnhardt late in the race.

Ricky Rudd tangled with Earnhardt again at North Wilkesboro, as a last-lap altercation while fighting for the lead handed the win to Geoff Bodine.

In 1990, Ricky Rudd signed with Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No 5 Chevrolet Lumina.

Ricky Rudd was able to win The Bud at the Glen and finished seventh in the point standings.

In 1991, Ricky Rudd won his only race of the year at Darlington Raceway.

Later in the year at Sonoma, Ricky Rudd was the center of controversy in one of the most bizarre finishes in NASCAR.

Ricky Rudd started on pole at the race, and was offered a bonus paycheck with the winning money if he won the race.

Ricky Rudd took the second spot with 3 laps left, and when the white flag was waved Ricky Rudd tapped Davey Allison to take the lead.

When Ricky Rudd came back around to the finish line he waved to his pit crew but was shown a black flag for the tap.

Ricky Rudd's win was taken away and given to Allison who refired to end up in second place.

Ricky Rudd ended up in second place; Rick Hendrick, and crew chief Waddell Wilson unsuccessfully tried to appeal the penalties.

Ricky Rudd finished the year a career-best 2nd-place finish in points.

Ricky Rudd took Tide and formed his own race team in 1994, Ricky Rudd Performance Motorsports and drove the No 10 Ford Thunderbird that season.

Ricky Rudd had another near miss in 1996, but won late in the year at North Carolina Speedway.

In 1997, Rudd had two wins, one in the Brickyard 400 and the other at Dover International Speedway, making this his highest win total since 1987, but he dropped to 17th in the points standings, making this the first time he finished outside of the Top 10 in nine years.

When Tide left his team, Ricky Rudd chose to liquidate his equipment and close his team.

In 2001, Ricky Rudd got his first win in three years at Pocono, followed by another win at Richmond late in the season.

Ricky Rudd scored his final win at Sonoma in 2002, but dropped to 10th in points.

Ricky Rudd was fined 5,000 and placed on probation while Lackey was fined 10,000 before resigning from his position at RYR.

In 2003, Ricky Rudd signed to drive the No 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing, replacing Elliott Sadler, who took over Ricky Rudd's seat at RYR.

Ricky Rudd scored four top-fives and a 23rd-place finish in points that year.

Ricky Rudd was able to recover to earn nine top 10s in 2005 and improved to 21st in points.

Ricky Rudd spent most of 2006 out of racing, racing only at Dover, where he filled in for an ailing Tony Stewart.

Ricky Rudd made an appearance to meet and sign autographs for fans at the 2006 Carl Casper's Custom Auto Show at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky and meanwhile, he raced in a karting event called the RoboPong 200 in Newcastle, Indiana in a race full of IndyCar stars, and eventually etching his name on the Dan Wheldon Cup, the trophy that since 2012 has become that event's signature trophy.

Kenny Wallace drove the No 88 on an interim basis until Ricky Rudd healed, except at Talladega, where Mike Wallace drove the car.

Ricky Rudd made his return at Charlotte, where he finished 11th.

Ricky Rudd finished his career with a 21st-place finish at the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami.

In 2007, Ricky Rudd was inducted into the 2007 Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and in 2010, he was selected to the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame that honors those who have contributed to sports in southeastern Virginia.

On February 7,2012, Ricky Rudd signed to be an analyst for Speed Channel's weekend motor sports news program, SPEED Center.

On February 17,2014, Ricky Rudd was inducted into the Daytona Beach Stock car Hall of Fame by Rotary International.