CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Robert Yates is bringing Ricky Rudd out of retirement to keep his sinking race team afloat, signing him Thursday to drive the full Nextel Cup schedule in 2007.

NASCAR driver Ricky Rudd stands by his vehicle on pit road during qualifying for the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, in this Nov. 4, 2005 file photo, in Fort Worth, Texas. Robert Yates is bringing Ricky Rudd out of retirement to keep his sinking race team afloat, signing him Thursday to drive the full Nextel Cup schedule in 2007. [AP]

Masterfoods USA will sponsor the car, with its Snickers brand as the primary paint scheme. The car number has yet to be determined.

Yates' flagship No. 88 Ford is open, but Rudd spent three successful years with the team driving the No. 28 Ford - a number not currently in use. Rudd won three races and finished fourth in the 2001 standings while driving the No. 28.

"We are excited to welcome Ricky back to the team," team owner Yates said. "We all realize Ricky's talent, and to have him return to the organization is a huge plus for us."

The team has been in a free fall almost all season. Former series champion Dale Jarrett left the No. 88 to drive a new Toyota, and sponsor UPS followed him. Elliott Sadler, the driver who replaced Rudd at Yates in 2003, used a clause in his contract to leave the team for Evernham Motorsports.

David Gilliland, who parlayed a fluke Busch Series victory in June into a Cup ride, replaced Sadler in the No. 38 Ford. That car is sponsored by Masterfoods' M&M's brand.

But until Masterfoods agreed to sponsor a second car, Yates was in danger of having to fold that team. Landing the sponsor was still only half the battle - Yates also needed a driver, preferably a veteran who could mentor Gilliland.

He found it in Rudd, a 31-year veteran of the Cup series who is convinced the car owner can return the team to prominence.

"I saw the fire in Robert's eyes when I met him the other day," Rudd said. "He's ready to get this operation turned around and the whole operation is hungry."

Rudd left Yates on somewhat acrimonious terms after the 2002 season to drive for the Wood Brothers, and left racing altogether following the 2005 season. It ended his NASCAR record of 789 consecutive Cup starts.

Other than a one-race substitution for the injured Tony Stewart in July, Rudd largely was absent from the NASCAR scene and spent most of his time tending to his North Carolina farm. He jumped at that opportunity to drive when Stewart had a broken shoulder blade.

Rudd said his one-year sabbatical made him realize how much he loves racing.

"Racing is in my blood - it has been since I was a kid and until I'm dead and in the grave, I'm sure that desire will still be there," Rudd said. "That was just a stepping back period for me to kind of figure out what I wanted to do. I got kind of hungry. I missed the competition."