Friday night in Charlotte saw three new names being inducted into the much-coveted NASCAR Hall of Fame. The honor was bestowed upon Ricky Rudd, Carl Edwards, and Ralph Moody, three people who left no stone unturned during their tenure as drivers and owners to add thrill to the sport. Celebrating their accomplishments and contributions to NASCAR, former crew chief Ray Evernham reflected on their legendary careers ahead of the ceremony.

Ray Evernham transformed pit stops by assembling the “Rainbow Warriors”. The team consisted of former college athletes who enhanced the speed and efficiency of pit stops. During this time, he worked with NASCAR icon Jeff Gordon, winning 47 races and 3 championships for Hendrick Motorsports in the 1990s. Given his contribution to the field of NASCAR, he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2018.

Having grown up in Ralph Moody’s era and working in NASCAR when Carl Edwards and Ricky Rudd built their craft, Evernham was full of gratitude for what they had given to the sport.

Relentless pursuit and passion have been recognized

As drivers, Ricky Rudd and Carl Edwards have also been recognized among NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers. Speaking of the relentless journey that these two names have embarked on, NASCAR’s trailblazer had his insights to share. Ray Evernham said, “The commitment. Both of them, very tenacious guys. You know both started with nothing and their commitment was to make it to top. And when you have to race somebody, you have to peak at somebody that has talent and they are followed up with that, just with commitment and desire to get the job done, they become tough competitors. Both of them physically tough guys, again with a lot of talent.” 

Carl Edwards was handing out his business card to people in the NASCAR grid, in hopes he would get a seat. He gave up a college education after three semesters at the University of Missouri to pursue a career in racing. After getting a break in 2002 in the Truck Series, for MB Motorsports, he never looked back. He went on to win the 2007 Xfinity Championship and won 28 Cup Series races across his 13-year career.

Despite never securing a Cup championship, his 2 runner-up finishes are some of the most iconic ones NASCAR has ever seen. In 2011, he lost on a ‘most-wins’ tiebreaker to Tony Stewart, and in 2016, he was leading with 10 laps to go in the last race of the season until a crash with Joey Logano ended his dreams. Edwards abruptly retired after that, leaving fans wondering what more he could have achieved.

On the other hand, Ricky ‘Iron Man’ Rudd was known for his longevity in the sport. Driving for 32 years and achieving a, then record, 788 consecutive starts, Rudd’s determination to compete against all odds defined him as a racecar driver. His most notable incident came in 1984 when he almost lost his vision after a crash during the Clash. A week later, he returned to the Daytona 500 with taped eyes and secured a 7th-place finish. While these two inductees plied their trade on the tracks, Ralph Moody was revered for his contributions as an engineer and team owner.

Ralph Moody’s induction stems from his groundbreaking contributions to motorsports engineering. As co-founder of the iconic Holman-Moody team, he dominated the sport in a way no one had ever seen before. They secured 96 wins, 82 poles, and a historic 1967 Daytona 500 victory with Mario Andretti. Moody’s innovations in lightweight chassis and aerodynamics set the stage for modern NASCAR advancements. 

Speaking of Holman-Moody’s contributions, Evernham further added, “Really sorry that I did not get to know them better… When you look at the people who built the sport, taking the cars from the stock cars to two-frame race cars, and the development… how they organized stuff was really pretty amazing. So they laid the groundwork… They have made such a huge impact on not just how to develop the speed of the sport, but the safety and how the cars are built.” Moody and his team were involved in multiple crashes and took it upon themselves to make the sport a safer place. They added bars at the bottom of the driver’s cage to reduce the risk of injury during crashes.

Regarding Moody’s prowess as a manufacturer, 7-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Richard Petty spoke highly of Moody, saying, “He [Ralph Moody] was the team, and Holman was the business part of it. (Holman) probably didn’t even know one end of the race car from the other, but Ralph understood all that stuff, so he’s the one that mechanically made it all work.”

Ralph Moody passed away in 2004 at the age of 86 and will be posthumously inducted. Meanwhile, Carl Edwards and Ricky Rudd will very much be present to accept their awards. The two legends reflected on their careers upon receiving the news of their induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

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Rudd and Edwards react to the love they have received  

After years of waiting, Ricky Rudd is finally being given the recognition that he deserves. The Massachusetts native has secured a victory in the NASCAR Cup Series for 16 consecutive seasons and was the youngest Daytona 500 pole winner at the age of 24 in 1981. He was also ranked in the top 10 championship standings for almost two decades, highlighting his dominance and consistency at the sport’s highest level. From short ovals to road courses, Rudd is known for his versatility, which may go on to explain his 23 career wins across different types of racetracks.

Rudd opened up about the warm reception he received at Indianapolis, on his first re-appearance in 2024 when Roger Penske collected all Indianapolis Motor Speedway winners for a photo at the track to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Brickyard. He said, “Think about it, we went to 30 some races, went to the same towns, stayed in the same — we called it the ‘trailer park’ — so it’s like moving out of a neighborhood. And you come back to that neighborhood and there are a lot of familiarities. Walking through the garage at Indy, it was really neat reconnecting again with many of those guys.”

Carl Edwards on the other hand was more shocked that he made it to the Hall of Fame. Given his abrupt retirement and lack of contact with the sport since then, the driver was incredibly grateful for the love he received from the community. Edwards said, “I understand now when people say ‘NASCAR is a family. I finally get it. I do. When I walked away, I thought ‘I’m giving this up completely. I’m giving up the sport, the opportunity to drive, and a lot of friendships.’ I’m shocked that NASCAR invited me back in this way. For the first time, I truly feel like it is part of a family.”

Although both Ricky Rudd and Carl Edwards never got their hand on the Cup Series title, their contribution remains etched into the world of NASCAR forever.