Rudd Breaks Streak: #28-Ricky Rudd took the green flag in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowes Motor Speedway to break Terry Labonte’s iron man record with his 656th consecutive start. Before the race, Labonte presented Rudd with an Iron Man trophy and Havoline, sponsor of Rudd’s #28 Ford, gave him a trophy made out of a huge chunk of iron. All the attention overwhelmed Rudd, who finished fourth. “I’m kind of a low-key guy, I just come to race,” he said. “To be honest, today doesn’t feel like any other day. It’s just another day at the office, as far as I’m concerned.”(Tampa Tribune), other current consecutive streaks: Rusty Wallace at 565, Ken Schrader with 535, Mark Martin with 450 and Jeff Gordon has started 306 consecutive races (and NEVER used a provisional). Dale Earnhardt had 648 consecutive Winston Cup starts until his death at Daytona in 2001.(5-27-2002)
