Rudd joined King Racing beginning in 1988 in the #26 Quaker State Buick Regal. He struggled with engine failures all season long and finished 11th in the standings, his worst points finish in eight years. After his only win of 1989 came at the inaugural Sears Point event, Rudd departed the operation, and signed with Hendrick Motorsports to drive the #5 Levi Garrett Chevrolet Lumina. He was able to win The Bud at the Glen and finished seventh in the final standings. He was involved in a fatal pit road accident at the season-ending Atlanta Journal 500, when he spun into Bill Elliott's pit, crushing Elliott's tire changer Mike Rich.
In 1991, Tide became his new sponsor, and Rudd won his only race of the year at Darlington Raceway. Later in the year at Sonoma, Rudd crossed the finished line first, but had his win taken away after he spun Davey Allison on the last lap. He finished the year a career-best second in points. The following season, he won the Peak Antifreeze 500, but dropped to seventh in points. After finishing another three spots lower in points in 1993, he left Hendrick.
Rudd took Tide and formed his own race team in 1994, Rudd Performance Motorsports, and drove the #10 Ford Thunderbird that season. His first win as an owner/driver came at New Hampshire International Speedway, which led to a fifth-place points finish. 1995 saw his consecutive winning streak almost end before he won the Dura Lube 500 at Phoenix, the second-to-last race of the season. He had another near miss in 1996, but won at North Carolina Speedway.
In 1997, Rudd had two wins (including the Brickyard 400), his highest win total since 1987, but he dropped to seventeenth in the standings, the first time he finished outside of the top-ten in nine years. His lone of win in 1998 came at Martinsville Speedway, dealing with high air temperatures and a faulty cooling system. As a result, Rudd suffered burns and blisters over most of his body, and gave his victory lane interview lying on the ground breathing from an oxygen mask. This would be the last win of his consecutive victory streak, as he struggled with mechanical failures and wrecks throughout the season. When Tide left his team, Rudd chose to liquidate his equipment and close his team. NASCAR reassigned the number to Tyler Jet Motorsports for an unrelated team.
No speeding in the Park. Bicycles are allowed on all two tracked trails. Do not bike on single tracked trails. Wheels yield to feet, (Hikers and horses). Hikers yield to horses.
Cache placement approved by Martin Morse, Park Service Specialist. Obey all speed limits. Do not block gates. All wheels off the pavement.