Rudd, Childress to be Inducted in NMPA Hall of Fame

Posted Friday, February 17; Source - NMPA Communications

Outstanding driver Ricky Rudd and championship team owner Richard Childress will be inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame in May.

The two were selected on more than 65 percent of the ballots cast by NMPA members to earn induction into the Hall of Fame. Childress was selected on 70 percent of the ballots. Rudd was selected on 66 percent of the ballots.

As a driver, Rudd competed in the NASCAR Cup ranks over the course of 32 years. He drove for some of the most prominent team owners in the sport's history, including Bud Moore, Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Robert Yates and the Wood Brothers, as well as winning races competing as an owner/driver. Rudd earned 23 Cup wins as well as 374 top-10 finishes, 194 of them top fives. His list of races won includes the prestigious Brickyard 400. He also earned 29 pole positions and finished in the top 10 in the standings 19 times. He also has a Nationwide Series win to his credit and made a record 788 consecutive Cup starts.

Childress formed Richard Childress Racing in 1972, originally competing as an owner/driver. He has gone on to win six titles as a team owner, all with Dale Earnhardt, and 100 races at the Cup level. His list of races won includes the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. Overall, Childress has 11 championships in NASCAR's top levels of competition.

Those who received votes but did not reach the 65 percent mark for induction were Donnie Allison, Ray Evernham, Joe Gibbs, Richard Howard, Tiny Lund, Bill Elliott, Ladon George and Sara Christian.

The National Motorsports Press Association was formed more than 40 years ago. It features motorsports writers, broadcasters and photographers from throughout the U.S. and abroad.