RUDD HOPES SEARS POINT TEST WILL BE KEY TO OVERDUE VICTORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   


    SONOMA, Calif. – Ricky Rudd did something on April 23 and 24 that he had
not done in over 10 years. The driver of the No. 28 Havoline Ford tested at 
the 12-turn, 2.0-mile Sears Point Raceway road course at the gateway to the 
Sonoma Wine Country.
    "We've always been very good at Sears Point," Rudd said. "We've brought 
this Havoline car home in the top five the last two years, but we want to win 
this year."
    In 2000, Rudd's first season with Robert Yates Racing, he started 10th 
and finished fifth. Last year, he overcame a 22nd-place qualifying effort to 
finish fourth. Rudd has four pole positions at the track and won the 
inaugural race there in 1989.
    NASCAR Winston Cup Series teams are allowed to test only seven times per
season. With 23 tracks on the tour, a variety of factors go into deciding 
where a team will use its valuable test time. Rudd is known for his road 
racing abilities and the fact that Sears Point is located across the country 
were reasons that he had not tested there since the late ‘80s. However, the 
track has been reconfigured over the past several years and the team wanted 
to get a better handle on the new layout.
    "I love road racing," Rudd said. "The driver has a lot of control over his
race and his communication with the team is important to get the car set up 
properly. It's challenging getting these heavy Winston Cup cars to run well 
on road courses. But these guys have given me great cars at virtually every 
track we've raced at this year."
    For Rudd, the 2002 season has been marked with strong performance and some
disappointing finishes. In May, Rudd was leading late in the race at Richmond 
when a lapped car cut a tire and wrecked him. Two weeks ago at Pocono, Rudd 
looked to be on his way to his first win of the season once again, when a 
slow leak in his tire forced him to give up the lead with less than 10 laps 
remaining.
    "In the last six weeks, we've learned how hard it is to win," Rudd said. 
"I'm glad we're going to Sears Point with a car that I think is capable of 
winning the race. Maybe we can jump from the top five to Victory Lane."