He is the uncle of actor Skeet Ulrich and former NASCAR Busch Series driver Jason Rudd.

He retired in 2007 with 23 career wins; twenty were done in a span from 1983 to 1998, where he won at least one race in sixteen consecutive seasons, a mark only surpassed by three other drivers.

He then ran an additional three races for Champion, his best finish being a tenth at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Although he had no victories, he won his first three pole positions, and began his lengthy streak of consecutive race starts.

He also ran the only three Busch Series races of his career that season, winning in his debut event at Dover Downs.

The move came after Earnhardt signed with Childress, leaving Rudd disappointed and out of a ride until he drove for Moore.

After learning of this long after the fact, NASCAR instituted the policy of examining all drivers involved in wrecks to ensure that they will be able to race safely the next week.

He tangled with Earnhardt again at North Wilkesboro, as a last-lap altercation while fighting for the lead handed the win to Geoff Bodine.

However, he was involved in a fatal pit road accident in the season-finale Atlanta Journal 500, in which he spun into Bill Elliott's pit and accidentally crushed Elliott's tire changer Mike Rich, who died hours later in surgery.

When Rudd came back around to the finish line he waved to his pit crew but was shown a black flag for the tap.

Rudd ended up in second place; Rick Hendrick, and crew chief Waddell Wilson unsuccessfully tried to appeal the penalties.

After finishing another three spots lower in points in 1993, he left Hendrick to start his own racing corporation Rudd Performance Motorsports.

1995 saw his consecutive winning streak almost end before he won the Dura Lube 500 at Phoenix, the second-to-last race of the season.

His only win in 1998 came at Martinsville Speedway, dealing with high air temperatures and a faulty cooling system.

As a result, Rudd suffered burns and blisters over most of his body, and gave his victory lane interview lying on the ground breathing from an oxygen mask.

This was the last win of his consecutive victory streak, as he struggled with mechanical failures and wrecks throughout the season.

With 16 winning seasons in a row, he nonetheless broke a new record that still stands today, though Jimmie Johnson managed to tie it in 2017.

21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing, replacing Elliott Sadler, who took over Rudd's seat at RYR.

He made an appearance to meet and sign autographs for fans at the 2006 Carl Casper's Custom Auto Show at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky and meanwhile, he also raced in a karting event called the RoboPong 200 in Newcastle, Indiana in a race full of IndyCar stars, and eventually etching his name on the Dan Wheldon Cup, the trophy that since 2012 has become that event's signature trophy.

Since he missed the Chevy Rock & Roll 400, it was the first time in his career where he did not make a start due to an injury.

88 on an interim basis until Rudd healed, except at Talladega, where Mike Wallace drove the car.

"[13] In 2013, Rudd made appearances in Series Two of the TV show Dallas in scenes filmed at Texas Motor Speedway as the hired driver for Christopher Ewing's methane-powered race car.

On February 17, 2014, Rudd was inducted into the Daytona Beach Stock car Hall of Fame by Rotary International.