Rudd happily returns to track after year on road

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- There were aspects of retirement that appealed to Ricky Rudd.

Driving his huge motorhome on the highways of America wasn't particularly one of them -- at least not at first. Rudd said he took the behemoth out on the road for a trip with the family to the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, this past summer.

"After the first 100 miles or so of being a nervous wreck trying to drive that thing, I settled into it," Rudd said. "We went up there and stayed and rode roller coasters for about a week."

It was a blast, Rudd added, but not as much fun as riding in a racecar during the roller coaster that is a NASCAR Cup season. So after a one-year hiatus, Rudd is returning this season to drive full-time again for Robert Yates Racing.

Basically he figures that if he can drive that motorhome at high speeds at age 50, he can settle into anything on wheels. In fact, driving a Cup car at close to 200 mph is likely to be easier because he's so used to it.

Rudd also said he wanted to make it clear that he isn't returning to Cup racing full time just because some kind of biological clock told him that time is rapidly running out on his career as a driver.

"I'm a realist. I don't know what age it is when you can't drive a racecar anymore. I don't know what it is because I haven't experienced that yet. But I do know that's out there," Rudd said.

"But as far as feeling pressure and thinking, well, the time clock is ticking and I'd better hop in the first ride available before it's too late, no, it wasn't that way at all. I saw a unique opportunity with Robert Yates Racing. Where some people saw the downfall of Yates Racing -- and, well, I saw the downfall, too -- but I also saw the changes that were being made inside the operation.

I saw a great sponsor coming on board in Snickers. I saw the chance to work with a crew chief in Butch Hylton who is very talented, but not a household name yet. I saw the opportunity to run up front."

The downfall of which Rudd speaks has been well-documented. Last year a Robert Yates Racing-prepared car failed to win a race for the first time since it began racing in 1989 with driver Davey Allison.

The disappointment of the season left team owner Robert Yates on the brink of closing up shop. He entertained an offer from driver Robby Gordon, who was looking to either buy Yates' operation outright or merge it with his own in some way. (Continued)