MEMORIES:RICKY RUDD

Throughout Ricky Rudd's NASCAR career, the Chesapeake, Va., native was always known for his tenacity.

The reputation began in February 1984 when a terrifying crash in the Busch Clash at Daytona left him with rib injuries and severely bruised and blackened eyes; eyes that he kept open with duct tape so he could practice for the Daytona 500. A week after that season's opening race, Rudd won at Richmond, Va., and before he retired in 2007, he became the sport's “Iron Man” with the all-time record of 788 consecutive starts. Overall, Rudd ended his career with 906 starts, second only to Richard Petty with 1,185.
However, it may be his Sept. 27, 1998 Martinsville victory that most people remember when they hear Rudd's name.
Rudd entered the Martinsville race as a team owner and with his record of 15 consecutive years with at least one victory in jeopardy. But it was that intense desire to win that got the 42-year-old Rudd through excruciating pain and into victory lane in the NAPA Autocare 500.
When Rudd was helped from his race car in victory lane, his body was shaking and he apparently was suffering leg cramps. He immediately laid down and was given oxygen, cold compresses and intravenous fluids. It was about 30 minutes before he was able to stand and participate in victory lane activities.
After the victory ceremonies, Rudd was taken to his team's transporter where a doctor was waiting. He declined to go to the infield care center, changed clothes and came to the press box for his post-race interview, despite probably having second-degree burns on his buttocks and lower back.
Rudd's agony in the 500-lap race began on the fifth lap when his cool-suit helmet quit working in the 93-degree temperatures. Then, as the race progressed, he said he felt as though he was sitting on a hot iron. Rudd had asked his crew to pour water down his back. Crew members used a glass, but he told them he needed a garden hose. Even though it was hooked to the cool-down machine, which was basically ice water, no one apparently had paid attention to it and it was laying in the hot sun. Rudd said the first water that came out of the hose was about 150 degrees and it “just about cooked me.”
Rudd's team had Hut Stricklin standing by as a relief driver, and the veteran almost relinquished his ride 100 laps into the race. But his car was just so good that he couldn't give it up, so he endured, leading four times for 198 laps.
The victory extended Rudd's streak of winning at least one race annually to 16 years. That's the third longest in NASCAR history with Richard Petty being first with 18 years and David Pearson second with 17.
Rudd's 20th career victory tied him for 25th on the all-time list with Speedy Thompson and Terry Labonte. It was the first Cup win for Pontiac in almost two decades. It also made him the sixth different short-track winner that year, the first time in NASCAR's modern era there had been a different winner at every short track race in a given season.
Ironically, Rudd possesses the record for being the youngest driver to ever earn a Martinsville pole. He accomplished that feat on April 26, 1981 at age 24 years, 7 months and 14 days. But it was that hot September day in 1998 that made Rudd a Martinsville legend.