NASCAR's Biggest Fan – Girl of the Week | Ron Ripple

The NASCAR chase for second place is the new excitement in NASCAR.    I’m tired of hearing the name Jimmie Johnson… so let’s talk about who’s going to earn the second place position… a.k.a. the first loser?  Will it be Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, or Jeff Burton?   Make your predictions!

The way this year has been going, I would think Carl Edwards is going to earn the “first loser” position.  He’s been in contention all year… from chasing Kyle Busch at the beginning of the season… to chasing Jimmie Johnson at the end.  He’s had an incredible year but unfortunatley it just wasn’t good enough.  With only one more race left in the season, Mr. Edwards has given it all he’s got.  He turned that “nice guy” image into a well…. “nice guy” image who got second place. 

If anyone was going to beat Jimmie Johnson this year it was going to be either Kyle Busch or Carl Edwards.  Kyle made his bed early, but Carl Edwards went down fighting. 

Another racer who I put all my money on before the chase began was Greg Biffle.  I picked “The Biff” as an underdog to win the Championship, but the S.O.B. just couldn’t get ‘er done.  He fought a good fight, but just didn’t have that winning edge to pull through.  He won a couple races at the end but he just didn’t have that winning streak he needed in order to take home the title.

 Who was the biggest dissapointment?

In my opinion the biggest dissapointment this year had to go to two drivers.  Now these two drivers I tend to make fun of in one way or another, but it’s only because they’re incredible racers and I have to make fun of someone.

Kyle Busch… I can’t say it enough!  Kyle Busch absolutely dominated the 2008 Season up until the chase.  He was the “bad guy” of the season and brought a lot of attention to the sport.  If I were a race God, I would have restructured the Chase and made these last final races a battle between the good and the bad.  Jimmie Johnson vs. Kyle Busch.  But unfortunately for me, I’m not a race God and can’t restructure the ending.  Kyle Busch is just gonna have to start over next year and prove himself again.  If anyone can do it… it’s him.

Jeff Gordon… the guy is one of the best racers to date.  He’s won championships and has beat some of the best drivers that have ever walked into the NASCAR world.  But unfortunately for Jeff Gordon, he got owned in the 2008 season.  He’s had a winless year thus far, and with only one race left, it doesn’t look good.  Lucky for him, he’s got a ridiculously good looking wife to go home to. 

Who do you think is going to earn the “first loser” title?  Who do you think was the biggest dissapointment?

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2008 has been a wild season to say the least when it comes to winners and those who came up short.  There are a number of driver’s this year we never in our lifetime would have imagined went winless.  I know this article is pre-mature, but I’m feeling the need to write it anyway.

Jeff Gordon… WOWWWW!!!  Who would have thought the young wine drinker wouldn’t even have a chance to pop a bottle of champaign this year.  I mean… this guy hasn’t gone winless since August 4, 1971, the day he was born.  I think when he came out of his mother’s womb, he jumped on his big wheel and raced the 13 year old neighbor around the block. 

To many drivers Jeff Gordon’s year would be a dream come true.  He’s had 11 top five finishes, 16 top ten finishes, and is currently sitting in 7th place in the overall points for the season.  But because it’s Jeff “the wine drinker” Gordon, he’s got to be a little dissapointed.  As much as I make fun of the guy, I really do respect him… He only has four races left for the season and I would never count the guy out.

2008′s Bridesmaids in full gear!

Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, David Ragan, Brian Vickers, Martin Truex Jr, Jamie McMurray, and the list could go on for miles with the number of bridesmaids this season has created.  All these names are so HUGE in the NASCAR world and not a single one of them has a win for the season.  It’s almost as if this season was dominated by a few drivers and these guys just didn’t have that extra “umphhhh” (a new expression I made up) to get that WIN. 

 For those of you not able to make the race this coming week, make sure you call my boys over at DirectTV.  These guys have the best NASCAR viewing you could ask for on TV.  If you’re not at the race, at least pretend like you are… call 1-866-938-8469 and let them know Ron Ripple Sent you.  If you want to check out what they’ve got visit their website at DirectTV.  I just got off the phone with my boys over there and they told me that if you add NASCAR HotPass™ to your DIRECTV base package order, they’ll give you the rest of the season for just $29.99.  You can’t beat that… so hurry up and call 866-938-8469 because the Sale ends November 16th!

So who’s going to be the biggest Bridesmaid of the year?  Unfortunately I think the biggest Whiner I mean winner, might be the biggest Loser of them all, that being Kyle Busch.

Before the Chase, not a single driver could touch what Kyle Busch was breathing… He’d come from the back of the pack and drive around everyone as if he was the professor making his way up to the front of the class.  If he got a second place finish, he’d pout as if he didn’t deserve second.  The guy was on fire and nobody could touch him… but unfortunately the momentum changed and Kyle Busch’s wins soon became losses.

If you had to pick anyone to be the Bridesmaid of the Season so far, who would you pick and why?  Craig… we already know who you’re going to pick and I have a feeling it rhymes with Shontoya.  But I’d love to hear who came up short and why.

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We’re getting so close to the end of the season and as I said at the beginning of the Chase, my money is on Greg Biffle.  Yeah yeah yeah… Jeff Gordon has a 7.0 rating at Martinsville, and blah blah blah… Jimmie Johnson has a 6.0 rating at Martinsville, well I’m not saying ”The Biff” is going to win Martinsville, but I am saying he’s going to be the champ at the end of the season.

As usual, the press constantly talks about the stars such as Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch or Jeff Gordon.  They’re always talking about “What color underwear they wear… what they ate for breakfast… how many times they dropped the kids off at the pool… who they’re dating… blah blah blah.”  And if you haven’t noticed, but before every race people are betting on these guys to win, and when they don’t, they still always seem to talk about what went wrong and why they shouldn’ve won. 

Jimmie Johnson… the Media Whore!

After my last Gas Card Giveaway contest, I realized there are a number of driver’s who don’t get the credit they deserve.  When I picked ”The Biff” to win the Championship at the beginning of the Chase, I picked him because I thought he was an incredible driver and he was an underdog in the eyes of the media.  So far ”The Biff” has been showing strong and staying in the hunt, right where he needs to be.

Another underdog who should never be considered an underdog is Jeff Burton.  The only time this guy gets any attention from the media is when he wins.  We never hear about his hobbies outside of racing, or his Garage drama at the race track.  I’m almost wondering if I should create rumors for these guys so they get more attention and get more fans behind them. 

How about this one… “Jeff Burton  lost 12 lbs for his Lowe’s win this past weekend.  Rumors are going around that he is throwing up his lunches just to stay thin and give him the weight advantage when he’s goes into turn 1.”  Pretty scary when the man only weighs 158 lbs… hopefully he passes his physical in the pre-race exam for Martinsville.

Ron Ripple has the pictures to Prove it!

Anyway… “The Biff” is still my pick.  If I have to make up rumors for him then I will.  Martinsville isn’t his track of choice, but if he stays consistant and gets a top 5 finish, then he’ll still be sitting pretty. 

Obviously this is Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson’s track… I think we need Jeff Gordon to get the win this weekend and make sure Jimmie Johnson stays out of the top 5.  Anything’s possible.

Who do you all think the Dark Horse is in the Race for the Championship?  Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle, Clint Boyer, Kevin Harvick?  Hey… we haven’t heard about Kyle Busch as much as we used to!!!!

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Just when you thought the chase was dominated by Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, or even Greg Biffle… Jeff Burton decides he’s not going to let it go that easily.  Burton wins at Lowe’s to put himself in Second place over all in the points.  The Championship keeps getting that much more interesting… Boy do I love NASCAR!

 Jeff Burton and Jimmie Johnson battled it out late in the race on Saturday night at the Bank of America 500.  Jimmie Johnson ended up having handling issues which pushed him back into the 6th position and allowed Jeff Burton to take the win.  Running in second was Kasey Kahne who just didn’t have enough for Jeff Burton late in the race.

One driver who I was impressed with Saturday night was Jeff Gordon.  You all know Jeff Gordon is a sissy boy in my eyes but Saturday night the guy came out and had more difficulty on the track than most, but still some how pulled off a top ten finish.  After the race I watched the team load the car into the Hauler, and it was the “little engine that could.”  and surprisingly even though he didn’t win the race, he did a hell of a job in my opinion.

So Jeff Gordon… I won’t make fun of you in this post… I’ll let you drink you’re Pinot Grigio in peace… because you’re a warrior… and if warriors drink wine… then go for it.

Another driver who had a tough night was Carl Edwards.  Early in the race the kid decided to pit which is perfectly fine, but when you pit and a caution comes out… you’re in deep doo doo.  Well Carl Edwards was knee deep in the doo doo and couldn’t change the outcome.  Sh!t happens… literally… so what are you going to do?  He left the track in fourth place in the overall points standings.

So for those of you who attempted to win the Gas Card in this past week’s contest obvioulsy lost.  Nobody expected Burton to win, so we’re going to leave the contest up for next weekend.  So make sure you pick a winner for the next race.  I’ll post the contest again so we can start fresh.

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Talladega… one of the biggest and baddest super speedways in the world will be hosting the 4th race in the chase! Get excited my fellow Ron Ripplers because this is going to be one to remember.

The famous saying by the great Ricky Bobby… “If you’re not first, you’re last” couldn’t be more correct during this time in NASCAR racing. We’re officially at the 4th race for the chase, and this is the time to start winning. As expected… you’ve got Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards out there running flawlessly 1 and 2, with the unexpected Greg Biffle right behind them. (I expected it)

Alright everyone… here’s my pick for the weekend. Not to sound cocky or anything but I’ve been pickin winners lately and have a great feeling about this. Talladega is a track where only the strongest survive, and I mean STRONGESTTT!!! Kyle Busch has had a horrible time during the chase with no top 10 finishes and all of them resulting with some sort of mechanical problem. Well this weekend I’ve got a great feeling he’s going to have a flawless car and “drive it like he stole it.”

Kyle Busch has a lot to prove these last few races and if he has a solid car, he’s going to go out and do it. I know I always talk about how whiney and goofy he is… but the kid “pisses excellence” just as Ricky Bobby did in the movie Taladega Nights. He’s gonna have a few bad luck races but his bad luck is finally gone and the good luck is back.

So that’s my pick for the weekend. even though I hope Greg Biffle does well, because he’s my pick to win the championship overall. I know you can’t count Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards out, so lets just hope Sunday isn’t their day.

If you’re in Taladega this weekend make sure you look for me. I’ll either be trying to steal Jimmie Johnson’s wife Chandra away or hitting on Jeff Gordon’s wife Ingrid. Just mentioning those names makes me want to write a post about which Team Owner has the hottest wives on their team. So far I’d have to say Hendrick Motorsports… they sure do know how to pick them.

Speaking of picks… let me know who you think is going to take home the checkered flag this weekend. Is it Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, or good ol’ Greg Biffle. Let me know who you predict.

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Marianna Sherman…whoaaaa boy! Marianna is a beautiful girl I met one day drinking a few beers at Hooters.  She was our waitress for the night and interestingly enough she told me I had to be one of the most “interesting looking rednecks” she’s ever seen.  Of course I take that as a compliment because girls tell me that all the time… so I asked her out on a date, and as of right now I’m still waiting.  Either she gave me the wrong number or she just needs to turn her phone back on… I’m still confused.  But anyway… here’s a little bit about her and why she loves NASCAR so much!

Name: Marianna Sherman

Age: 21

School or Occupation: hooter girl, I attend GA perimeter for nursing.

Hometown: Lithuania. ( Former USSR)

Favorite NASCAR racer: Jeff Gordon

What’s your favorite track? Daytona 500

What’s your favorite part about NASCAR? The accidents as long as no one gets hurt!

What’s the fastest you’ve ever been in a car? 115 mph. I was driving back from Panama City and got a ticket!

What are your hobbies? Sleeping, eating, going out with my girls, shopping, and driving fast!

Favorite Drink: vodka pineapple.

What is the worst pick up line a guy has ever used on you? “Did it hurt?” I said what? And he said “when you fell from the sky, because you’re an angel!”

What do you look for in a guy? Motivated, confident, tall, good looking because that’s what attracts me at first and then his personality is usually what keeps me around!

What is a turn off? Lack of confidence, immature.

Are you a fan of my mullet? Mullets are sexy…only on you tho!

Are you single? Happily taken

Where can we find you? www.myspace.com/mypuppysnameistequila

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Just when you think Kyle Busch is in a so called “Slump,” the kid comes out and dominates another road course.  Watkins Glen was an incredible race and one you did not want to miss. 

So we all know Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon were saying they saw weakness in the no. 18 car over the past couple races, well let me just say… THEY WERE WRONG.  Just because Kyle Busch didn’t dominate the field in the last couple races doesn’t mean the driver is in a slump.   He came out this weekend and showed the field exactly what they didn’t want to see… “the back of Kyle Busch’s no. 18 car!”

Watkins Glen was a pretty tame race overall until lap 86 when there was a huge pile up sending Bobby Labonte to the hosipital and a 45 minute race delay.  Bobby Labonte was complaining of sore ribs and was later released. 

The wreck started when contact was made by Michael McDowell which sent David Gilliland’s Ford spinning out of control into the guardrail. Sam Hornish Jr. slid sideways into the barrier of sand barrels dividing the racetrack from pit road… from there it was a huge pile up including Michael Waltrip, Dave Blaney, Joe Nemechek, Max Papis and Reed Sorenson.

All were released from the infield medical center but it delayed the race 45 minutes.  The race then re-started on lap 86 with Kyle Busch racing to the finish and getting the win on the 90th and final lap.  About 3 seconds behind Kyle Busch was his team mate Tony Stewart who has a solid finish but still continues his 36 race winless streak.

You all know Tony Stewart is one of my favorite drivers of all time… even though he hasn’t won a race in 36 races.  I do have to admit though… he seems to be losing his attitude and his “I’ll say what’s on my mind” reputation.  I think he’s setting himself up to be a leader for his new team Stewart Haas Racing.

It seems as though Stewart is not only losing his attitude but it’s almost as though he’s giving it to Kyle Busch.  Kyle Busch comes off the track and says “Tony was faster than me only at the “bus stop” chicane, but nowhere else on the track.”  and Tony Stewart comes off the track saying “I’m real happy with this second place finish, I didn’t have anything for my team mate Kyle Busch, he ran a great race.”

I dont’ know who’s telling my boy Tony Stewart to be nice and respectful, but whoever it is needs to let him be who he is.  Overall it was a good race to watch…. Kyle Busch obviously made the chase… Tony Stewart also bettered himself in the points… so overall I’m a happy fan.

By the way… Craig… i’m sure you’re happy with Montoya’s finish this weekend.  He finally finished better than 41st place. haha!!!

Who’s your team and who are you rooting for to make the chase?

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Lisaaaaa Hanerfeld…. whew!  I met Lisa one night while out in a bar up in New York.  I was up there visiting a couple buddies and some how they talked me into going to this “fancy wancy” sissy bar where everyone was wearing slacks and sipping on martinis.   Well the only “good” thing I got out of going to that bar was meeting this lovely lady named Lisa.  I was mesmorized the moment I met her and even though she was a big tease…. she still won my heart.  Long story short she was the only girl in the bar who would talk to a “man” with wrangler jeans and a mullet.  So here’s a few things you should know about Lisa.

Read the rest of this entry »

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This weekend the boys will be hitting the Pocono track and boy am I excited.  I didn’t post much this week because frankly I was tired of everyone talking about the tire issues NASCAR dealt with last weekend.

Just my .02 cents… NASCAR needs to start testing tires there for next year otherwise we’re going to run into this issue year after year.  Ryan Newman seems to be the only one voicing his opinion which as you all know I love.  Maybe he’s starting to speak out because he’s going to be one of Stewart’s boys next year.

Anyway… Pocono is always a blast of a race to watch.  It’s a funky triangular shaped track that makes for great racing.  I think there’s going to be a lot of competitive racing here especially with us getting so close to the final 12 races.

Who are my picks for this weekend?  I think there’s going to be a lot of top contenders out there especially since we saw a few guys from the Hendrick team out in front last weekend.  I have a feeling it’s going to be a couple guys out there dominating… Kyle Busch of course… Jeff Gordon again this weekend (He always seems to do well here)… and I think we may see Carl Edwards back up there in the front.

Carl Edwards has been impressing me with his intense driving on the course even though he has that “nice guy” attitude off the course.  He’s been showing the world that not all “nice guys finish last.”  One thing is for sure… he’s gonna have to show Kyle Busch this is true because if he’s wrong… Kyle Busch (cocky guy) is going to finish first.

Great racing to come… I look forward to discussing this race with you all on Monday.  Make sure you guys drink a bunch of beer this weekend because POCONOOOO… HERE WE COMMEEEE!

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The Allstate 400 was an interesting race to say the least… it came down to who had the fastest pit times and who could keep their tires from exploding. 

NASCAR delt with a tough situation this past Sunday and took the race into their own hands.  I think they did a great job by preventing further wrecks from taking place and I’m glad to see they were taking this seriously.  NASCAR officials implemented scheduled cautions that required teams to come in and make adjustments and tire changes.  As much as I love to see racers race, I don’t like to see teams race their ass off and have a tire explode and blow their chances. 

From the start of the race it looked like it was going to be a Hendrick Motorsports race from start to finish.  Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon were driving around the track as if they had about 1,000 extra horse power.  In some of the scheduled pit stops they would come out 4th or 5th and immediately make their way back to the front.  They had a lot of great team work and were extremely dominate for most of the race.

Another driver that impressed me was Carl Edwards.  Carl Edwards has been a competitive driver this year and has shown the world he’s a contender.  This weekend he ran extremely strong and had one of the fastest cars of the day.  I thought he almost had it after the last pit stop… but like I said before… Jimmie Johnson was strong and held him off. 

This was a tough weekend for NASCAR officials and for the crews.  The tires only lasted about 7 laps before you saw cord and to run a race where every 7 laps you needed a new set of tires, isn’t really racing.  Obviously the racers are watching what they say about Goodyear, especially since Tony Stewart created drama at the beginning of the year.  But Goodyear needs to start testing tires at Indy considering they run into this problem every single year. 

I must applaud the teams and NASCAR for turning the situation into a positive.  Every single team owner they interviewed said positive things about the actions NASCAR was taking and didn’t place any blame on Goodyear.  I thought what Joe Gibbs said was perfect “every team is going through this so not one team is at an advantage.”

It was just another day of racing and another race closer to the Sprint Cup Championship.

P.S. Look out for our “Girl of the Week” later today.

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