RICKY RUDD 900th CAREER START CELEBRATION – Day 1

* Rudd’s Emergence into NASCAR and the start of a storied career * On Deck: Ricky Rudd 900th Career Start Celebration – Day 2

CHARLOTTE, NC (Aug. 25, 2007) – Ricky Rudd didn’t always dream of being a NASCAR Cup Series driver when he was a child, in fact, if you were to ask him what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would have told you he was going to drive in the open-wheel circuit. Rudd began racing go-karts at the age of nine and then also developed a love for motocross. It wasn’t until he turned 18, that Rudd would come across the opportunity that would change the rest of his life.

Bill Champion, a family friend, was looking for a driver to race his car and Rudd jumped in the ride on March 2nd, 1975. Rudd was 18 years old and had never raced a stock car competitively.

“Bill (Champion) offered me a ride in his car for Rockingham and I accepted not really knowing what I was getting myself into,” recalled Rudd. “At the time, Bill initially wasn’t sure who was going to have the chance to drive the car and he had to decide between my brother or myself. In order to choose, we ended up going to a local short track around our hometown and my brother and I each were able to run a few laps. My brother spun out a few times and I didn’t spin out, so I was offered the chance to race at Rockingham and that’s how it all began.”

Rudd started the Carolina 500 at Rockingham from the 26th starting position and after completing 436 laps, found himself finishing the afternoon in 11th-place. Champion was so impressed with the teen’s driving ability that he asked Rudd to pilot his #10 Champion Racing Ford three more times during the 1975 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Memorable Moments: 2nd Career Start; Rudd posts his first career Top-10 finish: The Southeastern 500 on March 16, 1975 at Bristol International Speedway Drove the #10 Champion Racing Ford Rudd began the race from 23rd and maneuvered his way to finish 10th Won a total of $800

27th Career Start; Rudd posts his first career Top-5 finish: The Talladega 500 on August 7, 1977 at Talladega Superspeedway Drove the #22 Kockums Chevrolet for his father, Al Rudd Qualified 13th to start the race, and finished in 4th-place Completed 186 of 188 laps and won a total of $8,000

Following 29 Career Starts, Rudd earns 1977 NASCAR Cup Rookie of the Year Title: 1977 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year Winner Rudd’s first full season in the NASCAR Cup Series Rudd had a total of 25 starts in 1977 Drove the #22 Al Rudd Auto Parts Chevrolet Completed 6,233 of 8,541 laps for the season and led for a total of 13 Total winnings for 1977 were $60,420 (excluding bonuses)

Over the next nine days, Mars US will help celebrate Rudd’s historical accomplishment by highlighting several of Rudd’s most memorable starts since his entrance into the NASCAR community in 1975. Media members can logon to www.NASCARMedia.com daily to receive stats, quotes and other information as the countdown begins to the historic September 2nd start.

RICKY RUDD 900th CAREER START CELEBRATION – Day 2

* Rudd’s First Career Pole: Martinsville 1981

* On Deck: Ricky Rudd 900th Career Start Celebration – Day 3

CHARLOTTE, NC (Aug. 26, 2007) – Starting as the lead car at the front of the field is the goal of any driver in the NASCAR Cup Series. Track position is one of the many keys to driving a successful race and starting from the pole position allows drivers to race in clean air which allows for better maintenance of the car engines. At many tracks if drivers can stay up at the front of the pack, they may even be able to avoid wrecks which occur more frequently in the midst of the racing field.

Ricky Rudd captured his first pole on April 26, 1981 in his sixth season of NASCAR Cup Series racing. Rudd who began his racing career in go-karts didn’t even drive a stock car until he was 18 years old when he demonstrated his natural ability to navigate around a race track. Rudd had started from the front row once before in 1980 when he qualified second, but it took Rudd until 1981 to capture the title of a pole award.

“Capturing my very first pole was an incredible feeling,” Rudd said reflecting on the event. “It actually took me a few years to get to that point where I was running solid qualifying runs, but that day in Martinsville was a really exciting day. Knowing that I would be the very first car when the green flag flew was just such an impressive feeling and I remember being excited to start the race without any other cars in front of me.”

Rudd led the field to the green for the Virginia 500 at Martinsville as the pole-sitter, but by the end of the race, found himself bringing home a third-place finish. The #88 Gatorade Buick completed 499 of 500 laps for the afternoon and led a total of 24 laps. Rudd walked away with a total of $15,250 for DiGard Racing.

Rudd went on to capture two more pole awards in 1981. One came two weeks later at Nashville, while the third came at Dover for the CRC Chemicals 500.

• Memorable Moments:

63rd Career Start; Rudd posts his first career third-place finish:

* The Talladega 500 on August 5, 1979 at Talladega Superspeedway * Drove the #90 Truxmore Mercury owned by Junie Donlavey * Rudd started the race from 11th and finished 3rd * Completed 186 of 188 laps * Won a total of $13,920

76th Career Start; Rudd earns his first career front row start:

* The National 500 on October 5, 1977 at Charlotte Motor Speedway * Drove the #22 LYF-TMY Building Supply Chevrolet owned by his father, Al Rudd * Qualified 2nd and finished the race in 4th * Completed all 334 laps and led for one lap during the race * Won a total of $15,350

88th Career Start; Rudd begins his Consecutive Starts Streak making him NASCAR’s “Iron Man”

* January 11, 1981 for the Winston Western 500 at Riverside International Raceway * Started the race from 3rd and finished in 19th due to engine problems * Drove the #88 Gatorade Chevrolet for DiGard Racing * Completed 98 of 119 laps on the 2.62-mile road course * Won a total of $6,950

90th Career Start; Rudd earns his first career second-place finish:

* February 22, 1981 for the Richmond 400 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway * Started the race in 8th and finished in 2nd * Drove the #88 Gatorade Oldsmobile for DiGard Racing * Completed all 400 laps and led for a total of seven laps * Won a total of $13,400

Over the next nine days, Mars US will help celebrate Rudd’s historical accomplishment by highlighting several of Rudd’s most memorable starts since his entrance into the NASCAR community in 1975. Media members can logon to www.NASCARMedia.com daily to receive stats, quotes and other information as the countdown begins to the historic September 2nd start.