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

Kyle Busch is my hero… did I just say that?  Yes I did!  Anyone who reads my articles knows I either love Kyle Busch or I hate him.  He’s either a winner to me… or a whiner.  Well this article is going to explain why I think Kyle Busch has a great heart and is a racer to look up to.

If you haven’t heard of Sam Ard, you need to go check out his website www.SamArd.com.  He was an incredible racer from 1983-1984.  He was a hero in his day… many looked up to him, and many envied him.  He was a warrior on the race track and he fought for every win.  He had over 20 wins in his Busch career and was running strong until he had a career ending crash on October 10th, 1984 which resulted in a major head injury. 

He was a Hero to many, well now… Sam Ard HAS a new hero.  His name is Kyle Busch!

Sam Ard now 69, suffers from a moderate stage of Alzheimers disease that leaves him asking his wife if “she’d be pissed if he started racing again.”  Because of his Alzheimers disease he sometimes gets trapped in the past and doesn’t realize he’s a 69 year old past legend that has Alzheimers and is in financial trouble.

This past weekend Kyle Busch was racing the Nationwide Series race to try and tie Sam Ard’s record of 10 wins within a Nationwide/Busch Series Season.  He ended up getting the win which leaves him in the record books with his name right there next to Mr. Sam Ard.

Kyle Busch made an incredible decision this past weekend and dedicated his Nationwide Series win to Sam Ard.  With that win he donated $100,000 to the Sam Ard Fund which helps him and his family with their finances. 

Back in Sam Ard’s day, the most a Busch Series winner ever received was $25,000 and that was at Daytona.  So to say the least, Sam Ard didn’t make multi millions off his racing career, but he is remembered as a legend.

Here’s an excerpt from Nascar.com that explains Ard’s feelings during this past weekend’s race…

Ard watched Saturday’s race at Texas with his grandson, aware that Busch was chasing his 1983 mark for wins in a season. Jo was with her sister for a rare dinner out when son, Robert, called her.

“Mama, are you sitting down?” Robert told her. “Well, Kyle tied Daddy’s record, and I had someone call me and tell me that Kyle is going to give Daddy $100,000.”

Hours later, when a fidgety Ard kept Jo up talking until 2:30 a.m., she sensed he understood Busch’s contribution.

“I guess his mind was just thinking because he said ‘I’ve been praying that something could come along that we could pay the bills and you can get a car,’ ” Jo said. “So he’s aware of what’s going. I asked him what he wanted to do with Kyle’s money, and he said for me to do whatever I wanted. He just wanted a couple hundred dollars to put in his wallet.”

When I read this it gave me goose bumps.  It just shows you that Kyle Busch has a big heart and is not all about himself.  He respects the past, and even though he’s out there breaking records… he’s breaking records with a good heart.  I’m extremely happy that the Ard family is getting help.  It makes me think there should be some sort of NASCAR fund that donates to the fallen racers.  If it weren’t for these past legends, the sport wouldn’t be where it is today.

If you get a chance, make sure you visit www.SamArd.com and if you have a few extra bucks make a donation.  We need to support our past racers and show them our appreciation.  Who knows… maybe Kyle Busch will need some help when he’s older.  He’ll definitely be a legend to remember.

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Jenn Sterger… what a beautiful NASCAR fan we have here.  I met Jenn Sterger at a Florida State football game a few years ago.  I started the day out extremely excited because I had front row seats to the Florida vs. Florida State football game.  As I walked up to my seat I was getting pretty agitated because I noticed there was someone sitting in it… turns out it was Jenn Sterger, the infamous FSU Cow Girl, so I didn’t complain.  We ended up sharing the seat the whole game and it was great publicity for me because when she was on camera… I was on camera.  Yeah… I tried to slip a kiss in there a few times but there was always a big play right when I went to make my move…  so I never got my chance.   Turns out the chick loves NASCAR and even attends some races.  so here’s her little bio…

Name: Jenn Sterger

Age: 24

School or Occupation: Florida State University
Television Host/Sports Personality/Writer

Hometown: Lutz, FL (Currently resides in Hoboken, NJ)

Favorite NASCAR racer: I absolutely love the Busch Brothers. Kurt is a super smart, aggressive driver, while Kyle is a little more on the risky side.. and an absolute blast to watch. If he doesn’t win the race, he’ll likely wreck his ride trying to!!!

What’s your favorite track? Talladega baby!!!!

What’s your favorite part about NASCAR? I love how different drivers celebrate their victories. Whether its Tony Stewart huffing and puffing up a ladder, or Carl Edwards doing back flips.. I just love how individual drivers show their passion for what they do. Besides, even I could do a burnout.

What’s the fastest you’ve ever been in a car?
The fastest I have ever been in a car was at Talladega the day before the race. I was lucky enough to get a ride in the pace car, and let me tell you.. after you get going so fast.. you don’t dare look down at the speedometer. Everything just becomes a blur.. and all you can do is keep your eyes on the road.

What are your hobbies?
My hobbies?? Anything sports related. I absolutely LOVE the competition. I’m not too great at playing sports, because I have zero coordination.. but I can still hang with the best of them in a heated debate. I love having a buffalo chicken wrap and a beer at the sports bar.. even if it’s only 10:00 am. I am a football junkie, but still enjoy watching a little baseball and football every now and then. I love cooking, especially for friends and family.. but I hate cleaning up my mess when I am done. I make a mean lasagna and tres leches. And, oh yeah.. I will absolutely school your ass in Guitar Hero.

Favorite Drink:
There is just something about an ice cold glass of sweet tea that takes me back home again, no matter where my travels take me. I guess it’s a Southern thing.

What is the worst pick up line a guy has ever used on you?
I was at a NASCAR Busch series race, when a driver’s manager came up to me and asked me if I had heard of (INSERT WELL KNOWN DRIVER’s NAME HERE.) I told him, “of course”… and he asked if I would mind coming over and meeting him. I obliged.. and was engaged in some short, mindless banter.. when he asks, “how does an amazing girl like yourself manage to stay single?” I told him, “that because of my lifestyle, and all the traveling I do for a living.. it was just hard to find a guy that could keep up.”

To which he responds..
“Well baby, I go fast for a living.”

What do you look for in a guy?
Without trying to sound like a total cliché, I love a man who can make me laugh. They’ve got to be extremely outgoing, and just have a general love of life. I want them to try new things with me, ride rollercaosters, white water rafting, and of course… go fast. They have to be willing to accept me for who I am, flaws and all… and not be afraid to be seen with me in my pajamas, a baseball hat, and a pony tail. I need someone who is as selfless as I am in a relationship, has their own thing going on, yet.. supports me in what I want to do with my life and career. I guess you could say I want a best friend. The rest just kinda figures itself out.

I know… I’m a total cornball.

What is a turn off?
Guys who take more time to get ready than I do. It’s one thing to want to look good, its another to be overly vain and cocky. I don’t want someone that is going to try to control me, or try to make me his Martha Stewart. I’m not your @#$%!, or your mom.. I’m your equal so treat me that way. I hate guys that are all talk and no action, and won’t defend their woman. I expect some form of modern chivalry. I mean, you don’t have to open all my doors, and throw your coat down in puddles, but don’t be a puss if things get tough. I hate guys that love drama, and love to fight.. because I really just don’t have time for it. And above all else.. I hate men with no ambition and drive. You’ve got to be motivated.. have drive.. be passionate. About something.. ANYTHING.

Are you a fan of my mullet?
Not unless your name is Joe Dirt.

Are you single?
Ridiculously. I guess I am just too picky, and tired of playing the game. I just don’t want to be a settler. Do you see buckles on my shoes?.. No?.. Well, I am no pilgrim!!!

Website where fans can find you? Fans can check me out at www.Jennsterger.com, and be my friend on www.myspace.com/jennsterger

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Nicky Fleites… WOW! I saw this young lady at the Daytona 500 a couple years ago and just about walked into a pole. Me being the ladies man that I am… I walked up to her and introduced myself. I hate to admit it… she blew me off but did give me quite the compliment. I’ll never forget it… she said “Now that’s a Beautiful Mullet.” I told her… “Little darlin, this mullet is years of perfection.” Here’s a little info about Nicky Fleites! Make sure you friend request her on myspace… she’s single and bilingual.

Read the rest of this entry »

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The Coke Zero 400 was a race that goes down in the history books for it’s photo finish that couldn’t be called till the tapes were reviewed.  Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards were literally nose and nose, racing for the finish as a huge wreck took place behind them making the race a difficult race to call.  Kyle Busch just barely took the win with Carl Edwards less than a foot away from being crowned the Coke Zero 400 champion.

The photo finish!

Kyle Busch says he was on the edge of his seat doing everything he could to prevent a repeat of last years race with him taking second place to Jamie McMurray after a  similar situation with a photo finish.

In my opinion the real talk of the day should be about Dale Earnhardt Jr and his domination of this race that resulted in earning his 8th place finish.  The kid was driving around the course as if he owned it and nobody deserved to be on it but himself.  He was driving so aggressive and passionately that I was afraid he was going to wreck Jimmie Johnson when he dared to get in front of him.  He led more laps than anyone but when they counted he got left hung to dry and drifted back to the 10th place position.  In his post race interview he said there were a lot of ignorant drivers in the final laps and he claims he deserved a top 5 finish.

I guess if winning a race means Dale Jr needs to be ignorant than I guess he better start learning how.  Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and of course Kyle Busch were making runs for the front.  They didn’t hesitate when it came down to racing hard and doing what it takes to get out in front.

Two guys I need to give a lot of credit to even though they didn’t make it to the front is Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch.  Both started in the back of the pack and both made it to the top 10.  Kasey Kahne started in 41st position and picked off every driver as he made is way towards the front giving him a 7th place finish.  Kurt Busch also started in 36th position and also made is way to the front giving him a 4th place finish.  I guess when you’ve got a strong car and know how to drive it you can do anything.

This was one of my favorite races to watch.  It was action packed and reminded me of what true racing is. What did everyone think of my boy Tony Stewart and the good ol switcharoo allowing Yeley to step up and drive it like he stole it? Stewart had an extremely strong car racing in the top 3. Was I the only one to notice that Vickers was the cause of at least two of the wrecks?

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There was only 17 laps remaining in the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 race with Kurt Busch in the lead when race officials made a quick decision to call it a day and put the toys away due to weather.  Kurt Busch had luck on his side yesterday allowing him to end his 29 race winless streak.  At the end of the race during a caution, Kurt Busch’s team decided to keep him out on the race course which allowed him to crawl up into first place and ended up earning him the win. 

Tony Stewart who also has a ridiculous winless streak (31 races) was dominating the race by leading 132 of the 284 laps.  Tony’s crew made the decision to pit on the caution which ended up putting him in 13th position when the race was finally called.  Tony Stewart was extremely pissed after Sunday’s race and didn’t comment on his results. 

 I can guaranttee he was throwing some F-bombs on the radio after the race officials stopped the race.  It’s got to be tough knowing this was your race to dominate and you make a poor decision to pit hoping the rain would stay away.  I can only imagine what song his crew was chanting as he pulled back out with the rain on it’s way…. “rain rain go away, come back some other day…. rain rain go away, come back some other day.”

The rain CAMEEE… son of a B!%@*

So Kurt Busch ended up with the win… what did Kyle Busch end up with?  A SPIN!!!! Juan Pablo Montoya made his point this weekend that he was out here to race and he’s not going to let anyone push him around, even if it is the points leader. 

There are two sides to every story!

Kyle Busch’s side!

Kyle Busch explained in his post race interview he was racing Juan and beat him to the caution flag after the Clint Boyer/Sam Hornish Jr wreck when out of the blue he began spinning.  Busch claims he rubbed Montoya a couple times in the previous lap trying to race him to the caution but claims he only touched his corner panel.  He says Montoya must have thought he beat him to the caution and got frustrated and spun him out.

Juan Pablo Montoya’s side!

Juan Pablo Montoya says he was racing Kyle Busch who was not giving him the respect he deserved.  He says Kyle Busch came up on the high side where he was racing and pretended like he wasn’t there expecting him to back down.  Juan said it looked like Kyle was trying to wreck him because he was banging on Juan’s corner panel… Juan says OK! Here we go!  Next thing you know they were both spinning which resulted in the end of their day!  Juan does admit he spun him out intentionally!

My side!

I think both drivers were having a very boring day racing in the back of the pack.  They were bored with the way the race was going and decided to make the race more interesting for us (the fans) by playing bumper cars.  Kyle Busch was thinking… “I’m not used to racing back here in the back of the pack, is this what these losers feel like at every race?”  Juan Pablo Montoya was thinking… “Wow, I’m not used to racing next to “THE MAN” Kyle Busch, I better not let him push me around back here.”

Next thing you know, one thing led to another, they let their thoughts take over and Kyle Busch decided he better get some more face time on the camera.  Kyle Busch starts bumping Juan Pablo Montoya because he was the closest one… Montoya kept thinking I can’t let this mean driver bully me around.  Juan throws him into a spin which ends up taking himself out as well.

 Not the smartest racing I’ve ever seen but you can’t blame either of them.  Not every driver is perfect and who knows what they’re thinking when they’re in a situation they’re not used to.  haha.  I love racing!

What do you guys think?  Who’s side do you take on this situation?  Kyle’s, Juan’s, or mine?

 

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This year has been an interesting year to say the least when it comes to the Sprint Cup Championship. Many drivers are focusing on making top 10 finishes in turn setting themselves up for the championship. I always talk about the respect I have for those who “go big or go home” and do anything for the win. That’s a rare breed that only a select have. A lot of fans are frustrated and feel that their favorite drivers are only going for the points and not the big W. I agree with some and disagree with others.

At times I personally get frustrated because one of my favorite driver is comfortable with a top 10 finish… when all I want them to do is get the victory and do a kick ass victory dance. God only knows what’s going on in their heads, I guess we’re not in the shoes of these racers and don’t know the game as well as they do. One thing is for sure! All drivers are looking to get in the top 12 so they can become the CHAMPION of the year… not just a champion for the night. I can’t blame them because they want to be known for the years to come as the “2008 Champion” and not the “second place finisher.” People can say what they want but the bottom line is, we don’t know WHAT goes on in their head when out on the track. My theory is that (some drivers) go for the win to a certain point and after knowing they don’t have a chance… they simply try to stay in the top 5 or 10. Take a look at the standings below..

On that note… who do you think will be in the championship race at the end of the year? There are a few names I notice that aren’t in the top 12 right now but have a good chance of getting in. Brian Vickers, Matt Kenseth, and Martin Truex Jr. are a few that have been moving up in the ranks and are actually racing their asses off so they can make the chase.

Matt Kenseth had a rough start this season and was a name I hardly even mentioned, but over the last 5 races, I’ve talked about him quite a bit. For the last five races he has finished top 7 in all of them and has been aggressively driving to try and secure his spot in the chase. I have a feeling he’s going to go out there and continue his top 10 streak and beat out some of these other drivers that are comfortable with a top 10 finish.

Brian Vickers is another racer who has been steadily creeping his ass up into the hunt to make the championship race. He’s another racer that has had a very sporadic season. If you were to place your bets on this kid this season you better not put too much money on him… it would be like trying to play darts in the dark. The kid is extremely talented but he’s been as consistent as the amount of beer I drink. (You just never know… one day I’ll drink a 12 pack and the next I’ll drink a case) I really do think he’s got a shot though! He’s finished top 5 over the last couple races and if he keeps it up he’ll be sneaking his way up there.

Still some big names out there that I’m shocked aren’t in the hunt for the chase this year. Not to name any names but Kurt Busch has really dropped off the face of the earth this year. Does he still race NASCAR? The only Busch name I ever hear get mentioned from Mr. Boogity Boogity is his brother Kyle.

Like I said before… it’s been an interesting year to say the least but I wanna know who you think will sneak into the chase and who will get knocked out of the chase.

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I am officially back from Daytona and all I have to say is WOW!  I started the weekend off by hanging out in the pits with Todd Bodine, winner of the Craftsman Truck Series race on friday night.  Congratulations to him and the Germain team for kicking some serious ass. (I’ll post pictures this week)

This weekend was full of surprises… Dale Earnhardt Jr. absolutely stepped up his game from the start of the very long week of races.  I can’t believe he won the Bud Shoot Out, the Gatorade Duel and then finished third in the Nationwide Series.  I’m not gonna lie, I really did think he was going to be in the top three as well in the Sprint Cup race on Sunday but oh well. My favorite parts of the race are when the two badass’s Tony Stewart and Dale would hook up in a draft and head straight to the front. 

The ”Most Impressive Driver” award would have to go to Kyle Busch.  He led 88 out of 200 laps in the Sprint Cup race on Sunday and ended up finishing Fourth. It always seems to go down like that, the driver to lead the most laps rarely if ever end up with the checkered flag. Also note that he also finished third in both the Nationwide Cup as well as the Craftsman Truck Series.  Tell me he didn’t have an incredible weekend.  Most drivers wish they could finish in the top 10 in any of the three races.

Who could have predicted Ryan Newman of all drivers would be the winner of the Daytona 500 this year?  He hasn’t won a race in over 80 starts.  I was shocked with the ending of the race but what didn’t surprise me was the 2nd and 3rd place finishers.  Everyone has to admit that if Kurt Busch hadn’t given Ryan Newman the push at the end Tony Stewart would have probably been the winner.  The beginning of the race was pretty non eventful…  There weren’t very many crashes, there weren’t a ton of lead changes, and I felt it lacked race drama.  Nobody pissed anyone off during the whole race but the end made it all worth it!.  Kurt Busch pushed Ryan Newman to his victory leaving Stewart behind to finish 3rd.  I must admit it was very cool to see two Penske cars take the 1st and 2nd place trophy, I found it a bit comical to hear Kurt Busch in the interview after the race stating that he probably would have won if he didn’t push Newman to the win… Just another cocky statement.

I’ve got so many things running through my mind right now that I would love to discuss, but I’m exhausted from the trip. So make sure you check back during the week and let me know your thoughts.  Until then… what did you guys think about the new COT’s?  How unfortunate was it to see Jeff Gordon have car troubles?  What happened to Waltrip and his supposedly ridiculously fast car?  What happened to the Toyotas at the end?  Let me know your thoughts…

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I’m not trying to make this site all about the Tony vs Kurt Drama…. But it’s the biggest drama going on at the moment.. 

The verdict is in!  NASCAR gave Busch and Stewart a six race probation as punishment for the “on track” incident that took place in last weekend’s practice.  What do I think?  I reckon I’m happy they weren’t suspended… but we all knew with NASCAR’s 2008 attitude of “let boys be boys” that Tony and Kurt wouldn’t be punished too severely.  No penalties were given out for the behind the scenes argument and bitch slap that took place in NASCAR’s hauler.   NASCAR officially states they have no plans for further punishment.

I came across an interesting pole on Nascar.com asking the fans whether or not Kurt Busch should be sat out for the first race.  I was shocked with the results… a wowing 42% were in favor, that’s close to 29,000 people who were against Kurt Busch racing in this weekend’s Daytona 500.  All I have to say is give me a friggin break!  Have you never had an incident where someone was driving 5 mph below the speed limit and then get so pissed off you showed them how you really felt?  I have to admit that I’ve had my fair share of road raging… and if I had the opportunity to trade paint with that slow poke and only get slapped on the wrist, I’d probably have to buy a new car weekly.  I personally look forward to the first race and I hope to see Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart battling it out for first place.

What are your thoughts?  Should the boys have had a more severe punishment?

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Update to the Stewart vs Busch Saga!

Feelings from last weekend’s practice drama spilled out into a full blown street fight (sarcasm). Sources state Kurt Busch caught a fist with his face by none other than the man in orange… Tony Stewart. The incident took place during a meeting with Officials in the NASCAR Hauler… No comments where given by any team or officials other than “What happens in the Hauler, Stays in the Hauler”. I though that only happened in Vegas.

Nascar is sticking to their 2008 attitude of promoting emotions and keeping it less corporate which in my opinion is straight BADASS! Keep the Nascar Drama alive… No fines will be assessed until later this week. The charity should be excited, I know us the fans are…  What are your thoughts?

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I’ve been dying to get to a computer since the crashes that took place during this past weekend’s practice.  I know NASCAR is trying to go back to the basics with letting personalities come out and not having such strict rules and penalties, but this past weekend was unbelievable.  I only have two words to describe how the 2008 season is going to be “Complete CHAOS.”

The first crash seemed as if was an accident and didn’t look like there were any hard feelings.  Clint Boyer simply went up and tapped Ryan Newman which caused a huge pile up including Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and a few others.  Obviously a lot of pissed off drivers but it didn’t seem intentional so I assume no hard feelings. 

The second crash is what in my opinion sets the pace for the 2008 season and of course you see who’s in the middle of it, Tony Stewart.  Tony Stewart was trying to sneak by Kurt Busch’s #12 car but taps his right rear bumper causing him to get up into the wall and destroy his car.  Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch already had some bad blood from last year’s Daytona 500 when Kurt Busch got up in the back of Tony Stewart during the race.  The difference was that they were racing for the lead, and this time they were just practicing.

The title of this article is what I think will continue to be a reoccuring incident throughout the 2008 season “Busch and Stewart’s Love Tap!”  Kurt Busch, who has been NASCAR’s number one driver for the past two years, was not scared this past weekend to show the world how he really feels.  He drove up to Tony Stewart after the crash and traded paint with him that was clearly intentional.  There’s nothing like a little NASCAR drama… it’s what makes this sport so exciting.  But I think trading paint intentionally is a poor way of getting back at someone.  Kurt Busch would have really earned my respect if he would have got out of his car and traded words with Tony Stewart instead of trading paint.   If you listen to the commentators from the video, they mention that Tony Stewart was trying to get out of his car which I think is the proper way to discuss your matters instead of tearing up the cars themselves.  I’m sure Stewart was getting out of his car to shake hands and apologize.  Yeah Right!  The CHAOS from this practice makes for an exciting season.  I’m so jacked up now that I haven’t been able to sleep and probably won’t sleep until they throw the checkered flag come Sunday.

Above is a video of the second crash for those of you who haven’t seen it.  Just remember… this is PRACTICE and not even a race.  It just goes to show you what a competitve sport this is and the different personalities this sport has.  What do you think about this crash?  Do you think Kurt Busch took it too far?  Do you think wrecking cars is the way to get back at someone or do you think racers should take care of their drama face to face?

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