Charlotte, Nc-One of the most difficult pilots in Nascar's history joined one of the most enigmatic drivers of the modern era as the newest members in the Hall of Fame in a Friday night ceremony full of stars .
Ricky Rudd, known as the “Ironman” for his 788 consecutive openings during a 32 -year career, was entertained by his sand. After an accident the week before Daytona 500, Rudd's eyes were so swollen that he used adhesive tape to keep them open to be able to run. Actually, it was the injuries in their ribs that most bother him, for a week, but he ignored because the tape kept his eyes open.
On another occasion, when the cooling system in his car failed, his team tried to help pouring water into his fire suit. But the process contributed and Rudd suffered second degree burns. He finished the race and made his obligations in the media on the ground.
“I had a job to do, and nothing was going to stop,” said the seven -time Nascar champion and family partner Richard Petty.
Rudd did not defend himself with anyone, he told Associated Press that his father taught young people how to handle thugs, and his ability to defend himself avoided many confrontations that could have happened during the most difficult days of Nascar.
The member of the Hall of Fame, Jeff Gordon, said a time when the two crashed with each other and had to share an ambulance in the center of attention. Gordon said he was very relieved to see Rudd already sitting in the front seat because if they had been on his back, Gordon thought he was about to lose a fist fight.
“It is a guy who demands respect and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,” said Rusty Wallace, a member of the Hall of Fame.
It was also included on Friday night Carl Edwards, a popular pilot who abruptly renounced the sport after his second controversial loss of a Cup series title.
Edwards, always extremely popular, it was difficult to obtain a real reading during his career, since many of his competitors said it was false. The member of the Hall of Fame Tony Stewart, who beat Edwards in a tiebreaker for the 2011 championship, used friendly to his competitors.
He lamented in his speech “the facade of reputation” and admitted that it was “to be a moron”, not being a friend of his companions competitors. Edwards said: “If it had been a bit more mature, a little less self -centered, I had a little more perspective … We could have been more than enemies on the racing track.”
When Edwards lost a second title in 2016 and abruptly left the sport, and disappeared from the Nascar community, he thought he would never be part of the community again.
“I left eight years ago and I thought I was really turning my back on this sport. I thought I was making a decision between this sport and my family,” Edwards said. “And you know, each award has its price, and for me, my family's prize was worth that price. However, what you have done here is that you have let me win both ways.”
Now that he has returned, Edwards told AP that he plans to come to the track in 2025 and is interested in television work, and Amazon still has positions to fill his transmission part of next season.
“He had a real approach to his professional career, it is a real credit for our sport and it was a superstar,” said the owner of the Fame Hall Joe Gibbs, whom Edwards led when he resigned after the end of the 2016 season.
Edwards had been late when a questionable caution was thrown and Edwards was destroyed in the restart.
“I remember it sitting and saying 'Hi, Joe, I think it's time for me to move away from the races,” Gibbs said. “And I say: 'What? Here is a guy who is at his best, and for him to say that, I think it was one of the most shocking things that happened to me in sports.”
The late Ralph Moody, who was chosen on the pioneer ballot, was also included on Friday night. Dr. Dean Sicking, who is attributed to the creation of the safest barrier that saves lives after the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001, was the winner of the Historic Award for his contribution to sport, and the retired writer of Motorsports Mike Harris of The Associated Press was honored as the 2025 Squier-Hall prize receiver for excellence in Nascar's media.
Moody served under General George S. Patton in World War II, then returned to Florida in 1949 to follow the races. He won five races as a pilot, then associated with John Holman in 1957 to form Holman-Moody Racing, who from 1957 to 1973 won consecutive championships with David Pearson in 1968 and 1969, and gave Mario Andrett the winning car for Daytona 500 of 1967..
Holman-Moody won 96 races and 83 posts with pilots that included the Hall of Fame Joe Weatherly, Fred Lorenzen, Fireball Roberts, Bobby Allison and Pearson.
