Ricky Rudd: Nextel All-Star Challenge preview

CONCORD, N.C. -- Ricky Rudd, driver of the NO. 21 Ford Parts and Service Taurus, gives his opinion on the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge this coming weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway, tells the fans the real story behind what happened with Tony Stewart in the Auto Club 500 at California a couple of weeks ago, and what once was running through his mind when his car went upside down near the end of a race.

Do you like driving in the All-Star race, and is the atmosphere different because it's non-points paying event?

"To me it is a little easier race when you come in there because it is not a points race. It is not a huge issue for us right now because we are so down in the points. But because it is not a regular race you can come in a little more relaxed. The non-point races are a little more fun because you can kind of let your guard down and just go in and have fun."

I know the crew chief keeps notes for such things as setups for each race at each track. As driver do you keep a book of notes? And if so, how much of your notes from the Yates' racing days do you use with the Wood Brothers?

"As far as the chassis notes, it is kind of hard to use them. They change so much now from one time to when we get back to these race tracks because the rules have changed. The technologies change. Things that worked there last year don't always work there the next year. Sometimes we can be off a great deal from where you were the previous year. Again, a lot of it has to do with the rule structure, the current aerodynamics of the cars; it constantly changes. So the notebook doesn't do you a whole lot of good.

"As far as driving the cars, some of that does carry over as long as they haven't resurfaced or thrown a major tire construction change to you. A lot of times the little things you do to drive the tracks -- where you get out of the accelerator, where you use the brakes, how you use them -- a lot of that applies. You'd be surprised you kind of have a photographic memory.

	Ricky Rudd

"Before you get there, you can mentally make a lap and you remember where every bump in the race track is. Charlotte hasn't been resurfaced in quite a while and you can run the laps in your mind. The problem is that you only have three sets of tires to practice with before you go out to qualify so when you go out on the race track you need to take advantage of that very first lap. That means you have to get up to speed in a hurry."

When Tony Stewart ran into the back of you in California, D.W., announcing on TV, said you don't mess with the Rooster! How did you get that handle?

"First of all, that deal with Stewart at California -- I was actually waving at him, telling him to come on, let's go because I had gotten bogged down in some traffic trying to pass some cars and my straightaway speed had gotten really slow. He came up behind me and bump-drafted me and he shoved me past those cars. He was actually doing what I wanted him to do there.

"As far as the Rooster deal, that is a deal that a crew chief I had about 10 years ago kind of pinned that on me. I don't usually go out looking for trouble, but sometimes when somebody pushes you to the edge and beyond what you should be doing, I usually fight back pretty hard. There is a time to retaliate and a time to bite your lip. But over the years I guess I've been known to sort of have a temper, and so I think that is where it got started."

How hard is it to control a race car versus a production car, and how do speeds vary from production cars to race cars?

"As far as the way a production car drives compared to race cars, there is so much difference between them, you really can't compare. A race car has 800 horsepower and a production car has around 200, 300 max. There is quite a bit of difference in horsepower. But just the way they drive -- the race car rides a lot rougher. It bounces around more. It is pretty harsh environment compared to a street car.

"The way it feels on the race track reminds me more of the way a small airplane flies. It sort of bounces around and you get a little bit of turbulence and it moves around a little bit. To me, that is more similar to a race car than a street car comparison. Comparing the speeds -- I think it is all relative. You go down the interstate sometimes at 70 miles per hour and all the traffic is moving at the same speed and you don't don't really realize you are really moving at all.

"And that is the way your Daytonas and Talladegas are. You are moving in a big pack of traffic and you don't hardly realize you are running 190. You know you are moving pretty quick, but you don't realize you are going 190. Now, when you do get out of the race car you do have to be careful after running the restrictor-plate races because you have a tendency to have the accelerator on the floorboard, and you do that for four hours.

"You have to be careful when you get in your street car that you don't do the same thing. We don't drive to and from a lot of the races now, but I remember when we did drive it was almost mandatory that I would get us out of the immediate traffic and then Linda would drive a good ways until I had a chance to calm down and get the racing out of my system. You find that you don't have the patience to deal with all the traffic. I got away from having a lot of speeding tickets by letting Linda drive."

How scary is it when you wreck?

"It looks scary on television when you are watching it. Sometimes it looks quite violent. But usually it happens so quickly you get just enough time to brace for the impact. Sometimes you have enough time that you know it is going to be a hard impact. You always tighten up.

"Everybody has their own way of dealing with it. But when it happens it is over so quick that you don't have time to get scared. When you are wrecking, you try to minimize the damage to the car, so you never quit driving until the wreck comes to a complete stop. At Daytona in the Twin 125's in 2000 we were running in the top three or four, and it was a close pack that was going to be battling for the lead at the end of the race.

"I can't remember exactly what happened, but we got down to the last lap and we were dicing with each other. I got touched and it drove me into the fence and then I got upside down. It was the craziest thing. We were sliding on the roof and it was almost like slow motion at that time. It was just a long, long slide. And I started thinking, 'I sure hope this thing makes it to the start-finish line before the rest of the pack catches us so we can still come out of here with a decent finish.'"

What is your favorite thing about NASCAR?

"I guess probably it's the race cars we drive. They are really fun to drive. Having the opportunity to drive at nice race tracks. The sport is changing, but NASCAR provides us with the opportunity to do what we really enjoy doing."

When you go to a place like Richmond to test, are you able to test in the late afternoon and evening to simulate race conditions?

"We came to test at Richmond and we tested here in the heat of the day. We chose to test at Richmond because they had repaved. That would be the ideal situation if the race is going to be run under the lights to be able to test under the lights. Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only one that I can think of that offers that opportunity. I've never seen any of the other speedways that have lights offer night practice."

You can adjust brake pressure from inside of the car during the race, why can't you make a wedge adjustment in a similar manner?

"There have been some systems that have been caught over the years in the race cars. It is clearly written in the rulebook that you are not allowed to alter the race cars. You are not allowed to change the wedge from inside the cars. There have been some successful systems over the years, but they have been caught, and then penalized by NASCAR for using something in violation of the rulebook. It would be nice if we had them. We just happen to be in a series that does not allow that."

Do you feel you had to sacrifice your personal life to be a NASCAR driver? Are you able to go shopping or have dinner in public without being swamped with fans?

"That is not a huge issue. It is at race time if you want to go out and have a nice quiet dinner with your family in the area where the races are in town. It can cause some problems. When we stayed in hotels before we started with the motorhomes, you'd get phone calls at two, three o'clock in the morning from some fan that was very enthusiastic about the race the next day and wanted to talk racing. I've had that happen.

"The motorhome environment has some good things and bad things. You tend to get locked in a compound and feel sort of like a prisoner at times. But racing has gotten so popular, so that is part of it. Ninety-five percent of the fans are really courteous. They will say hello and they want an autograph, but they will respect your time. Most fans will wait until you have finished eating. I guess you need to look at it that if they weren't asking for those autographs we'd be in trouble."