HoF Inductee Ricky Rudd Confesses Shame Behind NASCAR Absence With Heartbreaking Admission

Many talented drivers have frequented the race tracks of NASCAR. But only a few have broken jaw-dropping records that earned them a ticket to the Hall of Fame. This time, Ricky Rudd is up, as the tough-as-nails Virginia driver is in line to be inducted into the 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame batch. It was long overdue for the 67-year-old veteran, as his name was on the ballot for the eighth year.

Rudd hung up his firesuit in 2007 after the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami. NASCAR put him on a waiting list for 17 long years. Some embarrassing moments were coupled with the long wait that Rudd had to face on race tracks, as he elaborated recently.

Ricky Rudd had to face prickly questions

In 1975, a lively 18-year-old got into a NASCAR car for the first time and paced the field alongside veterans. Ricky Rudd’s debut race was at Rockingham, a track that may come back to life soon, and Rudd finished 11th. That was just the start, as he went on to clinch 23 wins, 194 top fives, and 374 top tens. The 1977 Cup Rookie of the Year also had a signature hard-nosed style that earned him the title “Ironman” in 2002.

But when Ricky Rudd finally got inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame a few hours ago, he revealed something. The Rooster had his own embarrassing moments on the path to this achievement. “You meet people at the race track and they’re like, ‘You’re in the Hall of Fame, aren’t you?’ And I said, ‘No, you know, hoping one day.’ ‘Oh man!’ And that conversation went on and on…I would be a head case if I went to every race and heard that every weekend.”

The honor is finally his, and the veteran can cherish his all-time second-most 906 Cup starts with ease. “Now I feel like I can be proud of my accomplishments, proud of the aero that I raced in, and I plan on being around.”

Ricky Rudd also saluted the people around him who earned the prestigious title. Driver Carl Edwards and mechanic and race strategist Ralph Moody also made it on the pioneer ballot. “You know, I didn’t expect to be in it years ago, my record didn’t stand up against obviously, you know, so many legends behind me…A lot of great people, and a small space to get them into.”

Besides his humble attitude, Ricky Rudd’s bold racing style continues to turn heads among gearheads. Rudd admits that he learned that from other veterans he looked up to.

Rudd hails NASCAR greats for his toughness

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Ricky Rudd sported a resilient attitude on race tracks. Before Jeff Gordon broke it in 2015, he held the Cup Series record for consecutive starts at 788. Rudd also won at least one race in 16 consecutive seasons from 1983 to 1998. Winning crown jewel races like the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400, Rudd’s fiery spirit earned him the nickname ‘The Rooster’ among peers and fans.

Yet the 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee again displayed humility while explaining this Ironman attitude. He said he looked up to drivers like A.J. Foyt, Richard Petty, and Bobby and Donnie Allison because of their toughness. “I did some things that maybe some guys wouldn’t do getting back into the car when some guys might would have sat out a race or two,” Rudd said. “But I didn’t feel like I did it any different than the group in front of me. Those guys were tough.”

Evidently, Ricky Rudd’s noble spirit will be a grand addition to the star-studded NASCAR Hall of Fame.