"Ricky Rudd is sour about that": Dale Jr. uncovers the former driver's hard feelings on Dale Earnhardt's RCR return

Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Jr. recently invited Richard Childress Racing team owner, Richard Childress, on his podcast, Dale Jr. Download. One of the things they discussed was Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s return to RCR. During the podcast, Junior revealed that former stock car driver, Ricky Rudd, has hard feelings about Dale Sr.'s return to RCR.

Earnhardt Sr. and Rudd had spectacular careers in stock car racing. Earnhardt Sr. won seven titles in the Cup Series, securing 76 wins, 428 top-ten finishes and 22 pole positions. Meanwhile, Rudd secured 23 wins, 374 top-ten finishes and 29 pole positions. Additionally, he ranks second on NASCAR's most-start list with 906, behind Richard Petty, and earned the nickname 'NASCAR's Ironman.'

In the podcast, Dale Jr. pointed out that his father and Ricky Rudd used to be pals before Earnhardt Sr.'s return to Richard Childress Racing in 1984. After the 1983 season, Earnhardt Sr. replaced RCR seasoned driver Ricky Rudd in the #3 Chevy. Rudd moved to Bud Moore's racing and drove the #15 Ford from 1984 to 1987.

Dale Jr. mentioned that he invited Ricky Rudd on his podcast but he was still "sour" at Dale Earnhardt Sr. for his move to RCR.

"I had Ricky on the show, and he's like, Yep, he's like, I felt like when, um, Dale got back with Richard in '84, like he took what I worked on and what I built. He's, he's, Ricky is sour about that," Dale Earnhardt Jr. stated.

"He is still sour over that with Dad. He's like you. He basically said in so many words I was friends with your dad, but I didn't know what he was doing behind my back and he and he kind of rooted me out of that deal at RCR, and I felt like I'd help made that team what it had become," he added.

After replacing Rudd in the 1984 season, Dale Earnhardt Sr. stayed with Richard Childress Racing till the end of his career and left a remarkable legacy. He won six Winston Cup Series titles under the team driving the #3 Chevy.

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Dale Jr. dropped a 4-word reaction on his father's 1988 Daytona 500 car ahead of the 2025 season's inaugural race

Two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, Dale Jr., recently took to Instagram and shared an iconic image of his father's #3 Chevy at the Daytona 500.

The post was shared by a fan-run archive Instagram page dedicated to the seven-time Cup Series champion, Dale Earnhardt Sr., which frequently shares moments of his legendary career. The post featured Dale Sr. in his iconic Richard Childress Racing #3 Chevy but in black color at the 1988 Daytona 500.

During the 1988 season, the paint scheme of Dale Jr.'s father's car was changed from yellow to black by his new sponsor GM Goodwrench. The post caught Junior's attention, as he recalled the memories of his late father and captioned the story:

"Damn this goes hard"

Dale Earnhardt Sr. qualified sixth for 'The Great American Race' and finished in 10th place on the grid. Additionally, the latter won only one Daytona 500 event in his career a decade later, in 1998.