[vincesanity82]

With only one top-10 finish this season, Ricky Rudd plans to retire at the end of the year. The one-time ironman, who drove in a record 788 consecutive races from 1981 to 2005, says NASCAR has become a "young guy's sport." Ricky Rudd is almost 51 and the grueling Nextel Cup schedule has finally taken its toll on the one-time NASCAR ironman."To run this schedule week in and week out, week in and week out, it's more demanding than it used to be," Rudd said at Michigan International Speedway, where NASCAR was trying to run the rain-delayed 3M Performance 400 on Monday.

"I think it's really a young guy's sport, a single guy or a guy that's married or no kids, which means a guy in his 20s or early 30s," Rudd said. "Because there's so many demands on your schedule that I guess I'm not willing to want to make the sacrifices for that full-time schedule anymore."
Rudd, whose birthday is Sept. 12, said he plans to retire at the end of this season.
He drove in a record 788 consecutive races from 1981 through 2005 before sitting out the 2006 Nextel Cup season. But Rudd said he purposely never used the word retirement at that time.
"At the end of 2005, I wasn't sure if I wanted to retire or not, so I never made a statement," he said. "I took a year off and I ended up coming back. It's clear to me what I want to do now.
"It's a great sport and it's been good to me, and we've still got 14 races left (this year). But the grind of the schedule just kind of wears you down."

Rudd Set to Call It Quits? - AOL Sports

[Team Yates]

I really wish he wouldn't go, but I do understand!!

C'mon Rudd bud, show me, at least, another win within your last 14 races!! Take that Yates rocket to the front!!

[Racer Duck]

a win at Homestead would be perfect! last race = Win!

[LSC9901]

It is sad to see the veterans go but I think it is better to get out before you embarrass yourself and ruin your image.

[LSC9901]

Just now Ricky qualified 1st and said after that he would consider a limited schedule next year but is leaning more toward retirement.

[Quality88]

I don't want him to go yet.... but I guess it was inevitable.





http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp...p=ZSYYYYYYYYGB

[tkj24]

Originally Posted by Quality88

I don't want him to go yet.... but I guess it was inevitable.





http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp...p=ZSYYYYYYYYGB

Sorry guess you'll just have to be for Juan Pablo.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by tkj24

Sorry guess you'll just have to be for Juan Pablo.

Like hell I will.

[tkj24]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Like hell I will.

J/K thought you would like that

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by tkj24

J/K thought you would like that

...............