Rudd miffed at McSwain's departure

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (AP) -- The early departure of his crew chief frustrated Ricky Rudd and had the driver wondering Friday if his team will suffer through the final three races of the season.

"I think there's no way we can finish in the Top 10 now," said Rudd, who has a slim hold on the 10th spot in the points. "I guess this season is just a write-off, now."

Rudd is leaving Robert Yates Racing at the end of the season, but crew chief Michael "Fatback" McSwain was supposed to stay on and work with driver Elliott Sadler next year.

Instead, McSwain left RYR this week to become Bobby Labonte's new crew chief. Rudd wasn't thrilled with the decision to let McSwain go and said he heard about it when car chief Raymond Fox III called him Thursday night to tell him he would be running the team for the final three races.

"Nobody consulted me on this at all," Rudd said. "What a way to finish the year, huh?"

Yates said he didn't force McSwain to stay because at this stage, all the planning being done is for next year with Sadler as the driver.

"In this situation, this is all about futures and go ahead and get on it," Yates said. "If his heart left, take the rest of his body with it."

Meanwhile, both Yates and McSwain denied a report that McSwain left because Sadler was so slow at a recent test that the crew chief feared next year would be a struggle.

"The reason we hired him [Sadler] was probably 90 percent because of Fatback's push to get him," Yates said.

Sadler said he was disappointed, but there didn't appear to be any hard feelings -- he stopped McSwain in the garage and gave him a hug when he arrived for morning practice.

"I'm not going to get mad for a guy that thinks he's bettering himself or bettering his situation, we're still friends," Sadler said.

 

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