Ricky Rudd (born September 12, 1956) is a retired
American NASCAR driver. He is the uncle of actor
Skeet Ulrich and Busch Series driver Jason Rudd.
Rudd is tied with Rusty Wallace for the longest
streak of consecutive seasons with a victory, his
lasting from 1983 to 1998.
Rudd is known as the "Ironman" of NASCAR, holding
the record for most consecutive starts in NASCAR
racing. At the conclusion of the 2005 season, Rudd
had made 788 consecutive starts, and has a total of
23 wins, 194 top 5's, and 373 top 10's. He was named
the 2006 "Virginian of the Year" and inducted into
the 2007 "Virginia Hall of Fame."
Rudd was born in Norfolk County, Virginia, now
Chesapeake, the son of Margaret (née McMannen) and
Alvin R. Rudd, Sr., the president of Al Rudd Auto
Parts. He began racing as a teenager in go-karts 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 #10 Ford for family friend Bill
Champion. Qualifying twenty-sixth, he finished in
eleventh place despite running fifty-six laps down.
He ran an additional three races for Champion, his
best finish being a tenth at Bristol Motor Speedway.
He drove another four races in 1976 for his father,
posting another tenth finish at the Firecracker 400.
He went full-time in 1977, again driving the #22 for
his father. He had ten top-ten finishes and was
named Rookie of the Year.
Rudd was forced to run part-time the following
season after picking up only limited funding from
1st National City Travelers Checks. Despite the
abbreviated schedule, he earned four top-tens and
finished 31st in points. In 1979, he signed with
Junie Donlavey to pilot the #90 Truxmore car,
garnering four top-fives and a ninth place points
run. He did not return to Donlavey in 1980, and
started out in a part-time run for his dad and D K
Ulrich. He would end the season in the #7 Sanyo car
for Nelson Malloch, for whom he had one tenth-place
run.
