Rudd hiring is a mistake

Robert Yates is the latest recycler, handing the keys of his second Nextel Cup entry to 50-year-old Ricky Rudd.

Nothing against Rudd personally. He's a class act and one of the real good guys in NASCAR history. But putting Rudd in a race car is not the right move for Yates.

Rudd retired at the end of the 2005 season. As we've learned in recent years, professional boxers are better at retiring than Nextel Cup drivers.

Rudd is back because he and Yates go way back. Rudd drove for Yates for three years after Rudd shut down his own team in 2000.

Rudd is the safe play, but not the smart play. He won't wreck cars. He'll stay out of trouble and get the team a few decent finishes. That's it.

What's the up side? What do you do next year?

Several prominent people in NASCAR told Yates he should go a different direction in the No. 88 (which might become the No. 28) Ford. One strong candidate was Craftsman Truck Series racer David Starr.

Ford officials like Starr. He has finished in the top seven four of the last five Truck seasons, including fourth this year in the No. 11 Toyota.

And just to show it isn't all about age, Starr is no spring chicken. He turned 39 in October. But he is a fresh face that sponsors love, and a guy who can wheel a race car. He won at Martinsville this year in his fourth race with a new team.

Or why not Boris Said? No youngster either at 43, but he almost won the Pepsi 400 this year at Daytona. It isn't about age; it's about giving someone new a chance.

Guys like Starr and Said can't get an opportunity to race full time if Cup team owners keep recycling fossils or keep drivers in cars when they no longer are competitive. Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader come to mind.

Sometimes it isn't the owner's fault. Sponsors want the guy with name recognition and don't really consider if he's capable of winning. The logic goes like this: If the team isn't capable of winning, at least hire a driver people know.

In Yates' defense, he is giving one newcomer a chance. David Gilliland, NASCAR's version of the one-hit wonder, will try to prove next year that his Busch Series victory in 2006 wasn't a fluke. Yates picked him to drive the No. 38 M&Ms Ford.

Certainly Rudd can tutor Gilliland, something that Starr or Said couldn't do. But Rudd is nothing more than a stop-gap measure, a finger in the dam of Robert Yates Racing that is close to breaking.

Signing a driver long past his prime won't hold back the waters.

• It's bad enough that someone within the TMS family decided to pilfer a cherished Dale Earnhardt firesuit and helmet from the office of TMS president Eddie Gossage.

But it's even worse when the person accused of the crime is someone hired to protect those things. Fort Worth police arrested James John Karl, a 44-year-old former TMS security guard, and charged him with the theft.

The firesuit and helmet were recovered last week.

Wow, Thanks Eddie, No I had not seen that!!..NICE article..I always Love to read Terry Blounts articles on David, He really Does always have nice things to say about David!! I kinda thought that was a dumb idea too, to Bring a retiree into the 88 ...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, don't I wish David had that ride!!!!!!! It's so ridiculous to bring Ricky Rudd back. Just what do they think he can do for that team?????

Boy!!!  Beyond me!!!

Sorry I haven't been around lately. But I wish all of you a wonderful New Year!!!!!

Man that was a great article..thanks Eddie!!  Makes no SENSE to me either, but like I have said before, Nascar didn't ask me and they always do things that make no sense to anyone!!!