Trivia

In 1983, Ricky Rudd won his first NASCAR race at the Defunct Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California.

Has driven for: Al Rudd, Bill Champion, DiGard Racing, Richard Childress, Bud Moore, Kenny Bernstein, Hendrick Motorsports, Rudd Performance Motorsports, and Robert Yates Racing.

1977 Rookie of the year

Won at least one race every season from 1983 to 1998, but never more than two in a season. Was winless in his last year as an owner-driver, 1999, and his first year with Robert Yates in 2000, but rebounded to win twice in 2001 and for the last time in 2002. Ironically, both his first (Riverside) and last (Infineon) career wins came on road courses in California.

1997 winner of the Brickyard 400.

In his 2007 "comeback season", he won a Gatorade Twin 125-mile qualifying race at Daytona and sat on the outside pole for the 2007 Daytona 500.

Drove three seasons for Wood Brothers Racing and retired after the 2005 season. Was out of racing for a season before coming out of retirement and driving the full 2007 season for Yates Racing.

Uncle of Skeet Ulrich.

Finished a career-high 2nd in Winston Cup points in 1991 to Dale Earnhardt.

His final win as an owner-driver came at Martinsville Speedway in September 1998. The cooling system in his car broke down with him leading the race with 58 laps to go, and this, coupled with outdoor temperatures in the upper 90's, caused him to suffer burns and blisters on his body and heat exhaustion. He finished the race and won, but conducted all his post-race interviews on his back wearing an oxygen mask.

After coming out of retirement and driving the 2007 season for Yates Racing, he is now officially retired for good. (January 2008)

Has almost 700 starts in a race car

Will be driving the #21 Wood Brothers Ford Motorcraft Ford at Daytona (January 2003)