Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 9, 1991 TAG: 9104090215
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: DARLINGTON, S.C. LENGTH: Medium
Today, he couldn't tell you who won.
"I don't remember much about it," he said. "I just remember it was loud."
But automobile racing, which is a Rudd family tradition, already was working its way into his blood.
Rudd was a national Go-Kart champion and a local racing sensation in his hometown of Chesapeake, Va., and the Norfolk area before reaching his teens. And before he was done being a teen-ager, Rudd was racing in NASCAR's big leagues.
But with 17 years on the Winston Cup circuit and 386 races under his belt, Rudd never had experienced the pleasure and pressure of being racing's top dog until Sunday afternoon.
It finally happened, appropriately enough, at Darlington, the first big track Rudd's eyes ever saw and the granddaddy of NASCAR superspeedways.
With his victory Sunday in the TranSouth 500, Rudd is leading the Winston Cup championship for the first time in his career.
Given the fickle nature and intense competition of stock-car racing, it may be a short-lived stay. But at this early stage in the season, Rudd is as good a choice as any to win his first points championship.
The next three races are at the short tracks in Bristol, Tenn., North Wilkesboro, N.C., and Martinsville, Va. Rudd has run well at all three places. He has won twice at Martinsville and sat on the pole at each track. And the road races, which are Rudd's specialty, are still to come.
"It's too early in the year to talk about winning the championship," he said. "We're starting off good. But the law of averages says we're going to have problems down the road. We'll just dig every week and see what happens."
Rudd and his Waddell Wilson-led Tide Chevrolet team, owned by Rick Hendrick, have flourished under NASCAR's new pit rules, which have created races with long stretches of green-flag competition and put a premium on pit strategy.
"I think the key thing for this victory was the pit strategy all day," Rudd said. "We had good, quick stops all day and we stuck to the game plan we had at the start of the race".
The team's strategy was to make only four pit stops - while many other teams were making five - and stay on the track longer with worn tires.
"I like the slippery tires," Rudd said. "If I had a choice between a greasy track or a good track, I'd rather have a greasy track.
"I'll tell you, physical conditioning has a lot to do with it, too. You get out there and run them long green periods with worn tires and no cautions and it'll work on you."
Walt Smith, the jackman on Rudd's team, has been acting as Rudd's personal trainer. "He's been to school as a trainer and also has his own health club," Rudd said.
"I spend about three hours every other day in the gym doing workouts - free weights, Nautilus and a 30-minute aerobic run - and I feel great. It's the best I've ever felt in racing."
Basically, the season has been like a dream come true for Rudd so far.
"This is two straight wins for Hendrick Motorsports [Ken Schrader, the driver of Hendrick's other car, won March 18 at Atlanta], and I took over the points lead today, so that feels pretty good," Rudd said. If I had a choice between a greasy track or a good track, I'd rather have a greasy track.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB