Silly Season

Elwood · August 21, 2002

Winston Cup vet Rudd to drive for Wood Brothers in 2003

By Bruce Martin

SportsTicker Contributing Editor

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) - Rather than switch to Dodge and drive for team owner Chip Ganassi, NASCAR Winston Cup veteran Ricky Rudd will remain loyal to Ford and race for the Wood Brothers next season.

Ironically, Rudd replaces the driver who will succeed him at Robert Yates Racing next season, Elliott Sadler. Sadler was introduced Sunday at Michigan International Speedway as the newest member of the Yates team.

Rudd will drive the famed No. 21 Ford Taurus and will be sponsored by Motorcraft. Sadler will drive the No. 38 Taurus sponsored by M&Ms.

Co-owners Eddie and Len Wood announced they had agreed to terms on a three-year contract with Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) and its Motorcraft Quality Parts brand, extending the sponsor's agreement through 2005.

The Woods then came to terms on a three-year deal with Rudd, a perennial top-10 driver whose contract with Robert Yates Racing expires at the end of this season.

"Two weeks ago, I wouldn't have bet you a nickel on our chances to sign Ricky," Eddie Wood said. "We had one year of sponsorship left and just not enough to offer him. Motorcraft came down to see us last week in Stuart, Virginia. They told us they wanted to extend our deal and asked us what we thought it would take to get Ricky. We laid it out and they said, `Let's go get him.'"

This will be Rudd's second turn carrying the Motorcraft banner. From 1985-87, he won four races and finished in the top-10 in the Winston Cup standings all three years while driving Ford Thunderbirds for Bud Moore Engineering.

"It's a little scary how quickly and easily all of this has come together," Rudd said. "The bottom line, I guess, is that I trust Eddie and Len Wood, and I trust the people at Motorcraft. We're speaking the same language.

"Everybody in the garage who knows anything has seen how good the Wood Brothers' equipment is. Eddie and Len have put together a partnership with Jack Roush that is paying off. (Crew chief) Pat Tryson used to work for me when I ran my own team. This is really comfortable for Linda and me, and I think we've got a chance to win some races."

A 28-year Winston Cup veteran, Rudd made his series debut in 1975 and won Rookie of the Year honors in 1977. Since then, the 45-year-old Virginian has won 23 races and finished in the top 10 in the standings 18 times. He currently ranks sixth.

"Motorcraft and the people at Ford Customer Service Division have been extremely pleased with our association with Wood Brothers Racing," said Ann O'Neill, FCSD executive director. "The same building blocks that have given Wood Brothers Racing its competitive strength over the years can be compared to the building blocks that keep Ford and its divisions and products at the top of the automotive market."

As a Wood Brothers Racing driver, Rudd will find himself in elite company. Winston Cup greats David Pearson, A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Cale Yarborough, Neil Bonnett and Glen Wood are just a few to win races in Wood Brothers' Fords. The team has amassed 97 victories over 52 years to rank fourth in NASCAR history and first among any Ford squad.

A primary Winston Cup team sponsor for the last 18 years, the Motorcraft brand began headlining the No. 21 Taurus last season. The team collected its first victory since 1993 at the 2001 Food City 500 in Bristol, Tennessee and has added four top-five finishes since.

The history of Motorcraft Quality Parts and the FCSD in NASCAR goes back to its primary sponsorship on Bud Moore's Winston Cup Thunderbirds from 1985-93 and its sponsorship of races at Atlanta Motor Speedway from 1987-93.

In 1994 and 1995, the Quality Care Service arm of the FCSD became Moore's sponsor, then teamed with Ford Credit to sponsor the No. 88 Robert Yates Racing Thunderbirds and Tauruses driven by Dale Jarrett from 1996-2000.

Ken Schrader said on Inside WC that he was given the go ahead to look for other options for next year since M&M's are going to Yates. He also said he's not ruling out driving with the 36 team if they can get another sponsor, but they don't know if they can. He mentioned too that he has many options with his truck and maybe with Michael Waltrips Busch car, so I guess we'll see. I would love to see Ken get a good WC ride.

hogger999 · August 21, 2002

O.K. blah blah blah.

Someone tell me what will happen to K. Shrader. I haven't seen a thing. Will M&M's sponser 2 cars?

SilveradoWV · August 21, 2002

HMMM? In the last paragraph Elwood posted it said M&Ms is leaving Ken???

I agree I would like to see Ken in a good WC ride as long as he doesnt go Ford or Dodge!

General Lee 01 · August 22, 2002

Whatever happened to Rudd's "I'm only doing one year deals from here on out" statement? Oh well...

Here's what I'm itching to know....

What'll happen to the #28? And what will happen with Havoline?

hogger999 · August 22, 2002

HMMM? In the last paragraph Elwood posted it said M&Ms is leaving Ken???

I agree I would like to see Ken in a good WC ride as long as he doesnt go Ford or Dodge!

Ooops, guess I skimmed over that. Not that I don't enjoy your posts or anything Elwood. :;):

Elwood · August 22, 2002

I do the same thing sometimes.

I also heard on Inside WC, I think, that Havoline may still be going with Ginassi on a third team.

hogger999 · August 22, 2002

I almost always watch Inside Winston Cup. Guess I missed a good one this time.

Shadowfax · September 4, 2002

#28 and Havoline will be on the side of a Ganassie car next year. They are currently searching for a driver. I wouldn't be surprised to see Nadeau in that ride at all.

Havoline made a deal with Yates. Either start a 3rd team with Elliot Sadler with M&M's and a different number, or pay Havoline 16 million dollars on whats left of their contract. Or this option. Havoline gave an option to let Yates out of the contract with them if he would allow Ganassi to get the rights to put a 28 on his car with Havoline on board. RY being a smart business man decided not to lose 16 million dollars he would have to pay Havoline for a contract breach.

As far as Scrhader goes. I don't know whats gonna happen to him. Hes not fired at all merely he has an option to go to a better team if he wishes. I think MB2 would like to keep him, but if they can't get sponsorship, they don't want to hold him in a underfunded ride.

antig24 · September 5, 2002

I just hope Scrhader gets a ride or a sponser but if he doesn't I'm sure he'll be racing in arca or trucks or something else if he doesn't get a cup ride figured out.