| NASCAR's "Ironman", also known as Ricky Rudd, hails | | | | his eyes were so swollen that he had to tape them |
| from Norfolk County, Virginia. From 1981 to 2005 he | | | | open in order to see. He did race, with his eyes |
| climbed to the pinnacle of NASCAR and during that | | | | taped open and finished 7th. NASCAR didn't find out |
| time he made 788 consecutive starts, a record he | | | | about it until after the fact and now they have a |
| alone holds. He also went to victory lane at least | | | | policy of examining any driver involved in a wreck to |
| once each year for a period of 16 years, a record he | | | | make sure they're safe to drive in the next race. |
| shares with Rusty Wallace. Throughout his racing | | | | In 1988 Rudd had only one win. He fought hard for it |
| career Rudd drove for Richard Childress, Bud Moore, | | | | though-all through the race he had trouble with high |
| Hendrick Motorsports, Robert Yates Racing and the | | | | air pressure and smothering hot temperatures |
| Wood Brothers just to name a few. Ricky Rudd | | | | because of a faulty cooling system. He crossed the |
| started out as many drivers did-driving go-karts at an | | | | finish line with burns and blisters over most of his |
| early age. As a teen, he took a shot at Motocross | | | | body and gave his victory lane interview lying on the |
| and eventually ended up in NASCAR at the age of | | | | ground with oxygen to help him breathe. |
| 18. | | | | In 1994, Rudd decided to start his own team, driving |
| In 1975 he made his debut in the # 10 Ford at North | | | | the #10 Ford sponsored by Tide. He became the first |
| Carolina Speedway driving for Bill Champion, a family | | | | owner/driver to win the Brickyard 400 in 1997. When |
| friend. By 1977, Rudd had wrapped up "Rookie of the | | | | Tide left his team, he chose to sell his equipment and |
| Year" honors along with a top-5 and ten top-10 | | | | close up shop. It didn't take long for Ricky Rudd to |
| finishes out of 25 starts that year. Early in his career, | | | | find a ride. He hooked up with Robert Yates Racing |
| Ricky Rudd was involved in a terrible crash in the | | | | to drive the #28 Texaco/Havoline Ford Taurus. From |
| Busch Clash at Daytona. His car became airborne and | | | | there he moved to Wood Brothers Racing in the #21 |
| he suffered a concussion in the impact. He was | | | | Ford, then back to Yates in 2007 in his final ride, the |
| determined to race in the following Daytona 500, but | | | | #88 Snickers Ford. |