Rudd a high-octane driver.(The Orlando Sentinel)

DARLINGTON, S.C._He is an oldies station on the NASCAR dial, dating back to the first days of disposable razors, the end of the Vietnam War and the syrupy sounds of Love Will Keep Us Together by Captain and Tennille.

It was March 2, 1975 when Ricky Rudd made his first NASCAR Winston Cup start at Rockingham. Twenty-six years later, Rudd remains an Energizer Bunny running on high-octane, set to make his 719th career start in Sunday's Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

In a year where most of the nation's statistical fascination focuses on the big-bang muscle of Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Luis Gonzalez, Rudd has quietly etched his way into sports history:

He is only the fifth NASCAR driver to reach 700 career starts, joining Richard Petty, Dave Marcis, Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison.

Just 10 days shy of his 45th birthday, Rudd remains the only regularly active driver in the bunch, with Marcis planning to run only a handful of races for the remaining season.

He steps into the Texaco/Havoline Ford Taurus this afternoon having the best season of his career, coming close to the end of a long run that began as an 18-year-old in 1975, when he raced four times and won $4,345.

"I'm not the oldest guy here, but it starts to show up," Rudd said after Saturday's morning practice. "The mileage is definitely here. One day you will look back and that will mean something, but it doesn't really mean a lot right now."