Rudd calmly remarked, "I guess he didn't want to give up the lead. I think both of us came here to win."
Ten years later, Earnhardt spoke about his quest for an eighth championship. What happened in '89 came to mind.
"I don't remember," he said. "I don't want to remember. But Ricky Rudd is OK. He only did what I would have done under the same circumstances."