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Rudd and Sadler swap their rides

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Ricky Rudd saga ended Tuesday when the driver signed a three-year contract with the Wood Brothers to drive the No. 21 Ford, effectively swapping seats with Elliott Sadler.

Sadler, who asked to be released from his contract with the Wood Brothers at the end of this season, has been hired to drive next year for Robert Yates Racing in the ride Rudd is vacating when his contract expires in December.

"Elliott is where he wants to be, we got who we wanted and Robert got what he wanted," said Eddie Wood, who runs the pioneer racing team with his brother, Len. "We have said from the beginning that until Ricky Rudd is in a seat, we were not going to sign anyone else. It was a dream and a hope to get him."

Rudd, 45, said he had been in serious negotiations with Chip Ganassi Racing for more than three weeks, but a deal was never reached.

Rudd took exception to how the Ganassi courtship had been portrayed, denying the sides couldn't agree on money or that they had argued last week in Ganassi's office.

"Chip and I simply couldn't come to final terms and it was bleeding me dry," Rudd said. "Contrary to what you may believe, it wasn't about money and I didn't give him a right-hook in his office. We just couldn't agree on the nuts and bolts of the things."

Rudd said one of the things they couldn't agree on was time off, with Rudd objecting to an "always on-call" policy Ganassi has.

"I value my family time and I was going to lose more than I wanted," he said. "That's just the priority I put on my time and it was one of the sticking points."

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