Ruttman excited to be back behind the wheel at Kansas (cont'd)

"It's a real exciting time for all of us. He's still here, especially when you go in the shop. I still feel his presence. I know Bobby's still guiding us, which is cool."

He may have been out of the public eye for a few years, but don't think Ruttman has slowed down, in fact he says it's just the opposite.

"I know it's a really good story for everyone to print that I have been sitting back with nothing to do the past five years and now I get a second chance at racing," Ruttman said. "The reality is that I have not been sitting at home twiddling my thumbs. I have been in some type of racing vehicle testing for numerous owners and manufacturers. I have had a lot of seat time and have learned so much."

That learning has come from different forms of testing and Ruttman says he's actually a smarter driver now then he was before.

"Testing all the time has made me a better driver," Ruttman said. "It not only provided me with more laps on the track, but it provided me with the time to think about what we were doing and why.

"I am a much smarter racecar driver this time around. I have a better knowledge now on what the truck is doing and the adjustments we need to make."

Heading to Kansas Speedway where the 62-year-old has just one start, a 24th-place finish after alternator problems diminished a sixth-place start, Ruttman says his competitive fire still burns and he feels this BHR team has the people in place to be on top once again.

"I have the utmost confidence in [crew chief] Jeff [White] and his ability to interpret what I am feeling and making the right adjustments on the truck," Ruttman said. "I was a good racecar driver before, but now I am more knowledgeable and more determined than ever.

"I realize everyone's looking at me going, 'You know, you've been out of the sport. You're getting older. Your reflexes, your eyesight, your ...,' but that just gives me more incentive to prove everyone wrong. I think we all at BHR have something left to prove."