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NASCAR WCUP: Rudd hopes to ride momentum to first Bristol win

22 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Ricky Rudd is on a roll.

In the last three races, the driver of the No. 28 Texaco/Havoline Ford has moved from 10th to seventh in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series point standings. Rudd is only two points out of sixth, and his second-place finish Sunday at Michigan was his best of this season.

Rudd hopes his current pace will carry him where he's never been before -- victory lane at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"I love racing at Bristol and have done well there many times," Rudd said. "I've finished second four times and generally run really well there. It's just a fun race and hopefully we can continue what we've been doing over the past few weeks.

"We are showing up nearly every week with a car capable of winning. You can only do that so many times before the breaks fall your way and a win happens. There will be a lot of breaks on Saturday night at Bristol, good breaks and bad ones. Maybe things will work in our favor and we can get the win."

Indeed, Rudd is having a strong first season with Robert Yates Racing. He has seven top-five finishes and leads the series with 15 top-10 qualifying runs.

Rudd has 1,133 more points this year than he had last year when he was 35th in the standings going into the Bristol race.

Rudd has won on 12 of the 21 tracks the NASCAR Winston Cup Series visits this season and he'd like to add Bristol to that list.

Text provided by Steve Post

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