Ricky Rudd finished second to Joe Nemechek on Sunday. Credit: Autostock

Things coming together for Rudd, Wood Bros.

Team scores runner-up finish in Kansas barnburner

KANSAS City, Kan. -- Ricky Rudd put an entire season of frustration into one weekend at Kansas.

Rudd nearly won the Banquet 400 in a thrilling battle with Joe Nemechek on Sunday. In the end, he scored his first top-five in a year.

Banquet 400 Victory Lane Nemechek celebrates the weekend sweep at Kansas Final laps Joe Nemechek takes the checkered flag at Kansas Speedway Chase Reaction Chase contenders review their runs at Kansas Hard hit Title hopes of Newman and Johnson take a hit at Kansas Minor setback Mark Martin avoids disaster after cutting a tire on Lap 141 Early Caution Sterling Marlin encounters clutch problems on Lap 4 •   Results •   Standings

But it didn't come without several heart-stopping moments for the Wood Brothers.

Rudd restarted second on lap 246 and tried to pass leader Joe Nemechek, but as he moved to the bottom of the track, his car touched the front end of Scott Riggs' car and slid down the apron and onto the grass. Rudd nearly spun out, but amazingly, he regained control and lost only one spot.

Most of the field checked up behind Rudd, probably because they thought the caution would fly. It didn't and Rudd got another caution six laps later to regain the momentum he'd lost during the spin.

"Somebody wrecked us and hit us in the back end and turned us sideways," Rudd said. "I didn't think we could come back. All of a sudden, the caution came out and we got lined up good."

"That was unbelievable," said team owner Eddie Wood. "I thought we was done for. It all worked out. Ricky drove a great race."

Rudd was instrumental in bringing Michael "Fatback" McSwain and engineer Hoyt Overbaugh over to the Wood Brothers in mid-season.

"I really got to thank Ricky Rudd for bringing my team back," Wood said. "He brought Fatback and Hoyt on for us. (It) made a big difference."

With McSwain and Overbaugh on board, Rudd scored his first top-10 finish of the season in August at Watkins Glen.

And now, the near-win.

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Rudd says he could have raced more aggressively with Nemechek, but not without risking a multi-car pileup.

"I got under him but I slipped," Rudd said. "If I didn't check up, I might have taken us both out. I made another run at him, but I ran out of laps."

Wood said the lapped car of Shane Hmiel helped keep Rudd from Nemechek in the closing laps.

"I thought we had a shot at it until the 23 (Hmiel) decided to race us for about three laps there," Wood said. "I'd expect nothing less from him."