Ricky Rudd Quotations

Let's talk about Martinsville. I know what's happening at Martinsville. No disrespect to everybody. It's just not time to announce anything yet.

Let's talk about Martinsville. I know what's happening at Martinsville, ... No disrespect to everybody. It's just not time to announce anything yet.

Let's talk about Martinsville; I know what is happening this weekend. I don't mean any disrespect. It's just not time to announce anything yet,

I wouldn't want to run a road course every weekend, but I wouldn't mind seeing one or two more on the schedule.

I have been privileged to drive for some of the best. I also want to thank all of the talented and dedicated people I have worked with in racing over the years, the crew chiefs and the crew members, who put in so much time and effort to give me competitive cars.

I have fun when I go road racing. I like them. I wouldn't want to run a road course every weekend, but I wouldn't mind seeing one or two more on the schedule. I like them because it sort of breaks up the regular routine, and we've had good luck on them over the years.

Casey came over and apologized. I guess he made a mistake, and it's very easy to make a mistake when you're running three-wide like that. It's pretty intense. I'd say he slipped up and made a mistake and I guess we're lucky the damage isn't worse than what it is. These front fenders are so sensitive. We did get our right front fender banged a little bit.

Casey came over and apologized, ... I guess he made a mistake, and it's very easy to make a mistake when you're running three-wide like that. It's pretty intense. I'd say he slipped up and made a mistake and I guess we're lucky the damage isn't worse than what it is. These front fenders are so sensitive. We did get our right front fender banged a little bit.

I have a really good group of fans who have followed me through thick and thin over the years and the last thing we want to do is to make it look like we are sloughing them off, ... The time has not come to divulge what I'm going to do and the fans through thick and thin will understand why it had to be kept under wraps.

I especially want to thank the fans -- without them, none of this would be possible, and their support for this sport and for me have made it all very worthwhile and have kept me going for many years,

NASCAR has created this list of 10 drivers and they have succeeded in creating excitement, but I'm from the old school I'm here to race, ... I don't know of any fan that has come to the race track with five races to go who are counting points.  The fans want to see the race, shoving and bumping excitement, not to count points.

I wish it could have been a little better, better than Tony ran, ... But it didn't work out that way.

I still have the desire and ability to win races, but a little burnout is beginning to set in. I may drive a few races next year if someone needs a substitute driver, but it's time to freshen up and do some things with my family that I have put off for a lot of years.

We've wrecked out of this race the last three times,

We're real pleased with that, ... There is nothing there for the guys to hang their head about.  We came off the truck fast and only made a few changes to the car.  It started in the spring race with a new car built for this race track. We had a good solid run and I don't think the car has been run since then. Our car will be good on long race runs.  I'm more excited about the race than qualifying based on the long runs.

Thanks everybody for allowing me to compete with y'all. I'll come out here and check on y'all. I might even sit up in the stands and drink a beer and watch everybody.

Nowadays, as they've been working on the cars and the quality control is getting a lot better, there's not a really a big difference. The cars are built specifically for different types of race tracks, whether it's a high-travel track or low-travel track, and that's what they go by. They go by data. It's past me, way beyond me now. But as far as me saying I've got a favorite car, they're getting stuff more consistent. I don't really see that anymore. They all seem to run about the same - unless they're purposely trying to make one differently, which they can do very easily.

The bottom line is five guys can go faster than 40.

A smaller pack that's staying in line, you have a tendency to have cleaner air, more like conditions are when you're running by yourself,

They're as good as they've ever been. They're still competitive. Their retirement plans are based on their sons coming up. They want to spend time helping their careers, and I have a lot of respect for them.

It's usually been a good track for us, and we were lucky we got a good qualifying spot (starting fifth) and just tried to keep our nose clean all night. It worked out pretty good.

It's almost been sort of an uneventful day. We didn't have to change a whole lot of stuff. The car was ready off the truck.

THEY LOOK THE SAME, BUT THEY DON'T DRIVE THE SAME.

I'm really sort of surprised at this run because we spent 98 percent of our time yesterday working on race setup and I got really comfortable with what I had there, ... Within the rules structure they allow you to do a few things for qualifying and the guys took advantage of that.

If I were to decide never to drive again, I have had a great career,

I have not taken a vacation or sick day in nearly 30 years of racing, and with my contract with the Wood Brothers expiring at the end of this race season, it seemed like the perfect time to step back and take a break.

I really enjoy racing for the Wood Brothers - they are great people,

I just kind of took all the extra skin and taped it to my eyelid and taped it up to my forehead and put my helmet on and went on.

...the trick to the whole thing is to make sure that you have track position at the three-quarters mark, not closer to the end.

The guys did a great job in the pits, ... We just sort of tried to stay out of trouble. We've wrecked out of this race like the last three times. It's usually been a good race track for us and we were lucky we got a good qualifying spot and just tried to keep our nose clean all night.

The car drove extremely well and the track has got a lot of grip, ... It's been a long time since I've come to Martinsville and had a car that could go like this one.

I may drive in a few races next year if someone needs a substitute driver ... (but) if I were never to drive again, I have had a great career.