NASCAR’s Biggest Fan - Ron Ripple

Who would have thunk it? Not to sound cocky and obnoxious, but when I pick the winner of Sunday’s race you can guarantee that I put a little hop in my skip the next day! My pick last weekend for the Coca-Cola 600 was Kasey Kahne… and yes… he owned it. The young star was very consistant this past weekend and consistency was the key to winning. The Coca-Cola 600 was the longest race of the season and as the saying goes it was “survival of the fittest.” Kasey Kahne may not have had the quickest car or the fastest laps, but he definitely had the “fittest” car and survived the 600 laps.

I think the fastest car of the weekend had to be Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers or Dale Earnhardt Jr. Brian Vickers stole the lead from Kyle Busch early on in the race and continued to lead the race for 61 laps. If Vickers wouldn’t have crashed his car, he would have been a force to be reckoned with instead of being the force that “wrecked”. (?)Tony Stewart on the other hand has had some poor luck this season and this race was just proof as to what he’s been dealing with. He also had a strong car and didn’t make it to the front till late in the race, and just when you thought Tony was going to get his big win for the year with only three laps remaining, he blows a tire and ends up in the wall. You all know Tony is my boy, I was on the edge of my seat for all 61 laps he led. I guess the only negative that goes into Tony Stewart leading is the fact my beer gets piss warm because I hadn’t moved an inch.

Dale Earnahrdt Jr. was yet another guy with a fast car. When he shot out to the front the crowd was going absolutely crazy. Even I was excited when I saw him dominate the race for a solid amount of laps… I thought he had the race in the bag until the damn wall jumped out and tapped him on the side. He fell back and still finished with an impressive fifth, it just goes to show that the car was strong even with all the damage. These COT cars slip and slide all over the place! (in my opinion)

So the talk of the past few weeks has been Kasey Kahne and the lucky streak he’s been on. I have to admit, he didn’t have “THE” car of the race this weekend, but yet again he stayed consistant and strong throughout the entire race. I thought he was a contender throughout the whole race, but in reality he was probably a second or third place car at that. But Luck plays a big role in this sport we call NASCAR, just look at Tony Stewart. If the guy had even a 1/4 as much luck as Kasey Kahne, he would have won this race.

I had an incredible day watching this race, and probably had more beers than I should have. A case of beer… it could’ve been worse considering how long the race was, but when you’re on the inside of the wall and you have thousands of screaming fans with you… the beers just flow. What do you think about the race? Who do you think should have won? Tony? Earnhardt Jr? Biffle? I will say if Biffle had more laps he might be the one I’m writing this article about… but then again he didn’t! The man DID accept my beer after the race though…I also plan on getting into the big drama/fight that took place on Saturday… stay tuned Ron Ripplers! I have to make a few calls to some of the pit crew and make sure my story is straight. (photos compliments of Nascar.com)

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 This past Saturday’s race was an interesting race to say the least.  In my previous post I stated it was going to be one hell-uv-a showdown with some aggressive driving and some crazy personalities.  Unfortunately it was none of this… It was a fun race to watch because it was unknown as to who was going to be the victor, but it definitely wasn’t a showdown like I was expecting. From the very beginning, Kyle Busch shot out and dominated the race by almost a quarter of a lap, until the second segment when his motor blew up.  (Obviously the Gibbs team tested the Toyota package they had from the beginning of the year because almost everyone on the team blew a motor.)  But Kyle Busch did some serious domination with Carl Edwards not far behind him.  The first two segments weren’t all that exciting with most of the battling taking place in the 12th and 13th positions.  Once Kyle Busch’s motor blew up at the end of the second segment, it looked like it was going to be a Carl Edwards race since he had the fastest car on the track.

 I was comletely taken back when the third segment started and Carl Edwards lost four positions in the first couple laps.  It looked as if making no changes to his car in between segments was not such a good idea.  The third segment was dominated by Biffle, with a number of different drivers working their way up to the front.  Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, and Dale Earnahrdt Jr. were a number of racers that were working their asses off to get to the front.  All were running strong but it seemed as though none of them had enough because in each segment there was only ONE car that led most of the laps.

 The Fourth Segment was where all the hard work and strategy paid off.  In between the third and fourth segment, the teams had a decision to make.  “Take two tires, take four tires, or don’t take any tires at all.”  There were a few drivers that took “No tires’ and these driver’s ended up on top.  Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne were two of those drivers that decided to take no tires and these guys came out of the pits the fastest.  Greg Biffle, who was the fastest car for a majority of the race decided to take two tires and I can guarantee he’s regretting it now.  Kasey Kahne who was the “Fan Vote” jumped up to the front position and was tough to get around.  Greg Biffle who took the two tires was on his tail the whole segment and admitted he only had once chance to pass and couldn’t take advantage of it.

I think it’s huge a driver who wasn’t even supposed to be in the race took home $1,000,000.  The fans wanted to see him race and boy did he give them a show.  He passed a ton of cars to make it to the top 10 and when it came down to making a decision about tires, he made the right one and that’s all that counts.  He didn’t crawl his way up to the front and techinically “EARN” the #1 position, but his team made the right decision and they took advantage of it.  Kasey Kahne won the race and took home the money.  Congratulations to him!

Even though I’m a huge Tony Stewart fan, I was really hoping for a Dale Earnhardt Jr win.  He was in the top 5 throughout the whole race and looked like he was going to be a player at the end.   I guess the Hendrick Motorsports team just had nothing for them at this race.  I was extremely disappointed with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson… two racers that were supposed to OWN this track.  The only reason why Jimmie Johnson was in the top 5 was because he took no tires. 

 Overall I have to admit it wasn’t the most aggressive driving or exciting race I’ve ever seen.  There were no wrecks, no bumping, no fighting, and no drama.  This was supposed to be a race where the driver’s would let their hair down and do things out of character.  It was almost as if they were all being gentlemen!  I was shocked!

 What do you think about the race?  Obviously nobody won the contest from my previous post because Kasey Kahne was voted in last minute.  But look for a new contest maybe for the 600.  I like to see who people vote for.

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Anyone sick of hearing me talk about 23 year old NASCAR super star Kyle Busch? I’m guessing yes… so I’ll keep it short. Kyle Busch is dominating NASCAR! Every fan in those stands are on their feet when Kyle Busch crossed the finish line. Whether they’re booing or cheering, Kyle is being HEARD! Through all the boos from the crowd in the stands, Kyle was able to hear a jeer from one of Earnhardt Jr’s crew and in return Kyle flipped him the bird. Now that is funny!

I feel bad for one guy, Greg Biffle in the number 16 car. Wow! The man would have a couple more wins under his belt if it weren’t for the bad luck he’s been experiencing this season. Biffle lead 95 laps Saturday Night at Darlington until he had to pit a few times for loose tires and then coming into the pits for the last time with his first DNF this season. A blown engine would ripple through his mind as he went through the last few race frustrations. He wouldn’t take the ice cold beer I offered him after Saturday’s race… at this point I knew he was hurtin on the inside. Trust when I say that Biffle never refuses a beer after a great night of racing.

On a side note… My pick for Saturday night’s fastest race in history at Darlington didn’t do too bad. Carl Edwards didn’t get the win, but a second place allowed him to move 3 spots up in overall Sprint Cup Points sitting in 7th. Now let’s get ready for the BIG race, NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowes Motor Speedway. I’ll have my picks later in the week… Tony Stewart has been quiet lately, I’m expecting something from him very soon. Should be one helluva race!

(kick ass photo from nascar.com, I can’t believe they caught me in the back.)

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Kyle Busch had a great finish this weekend in both the Sprint and Nationwide Cup! He was able to secure a 2nd place in the Crown Royal 400 and a 3rd place in the Lipton 250 on Friday night. It’s too bad the young gun with all his great finishes is making more enemies than friends. I’ve come up with a simple theory of why this is the case after doing hours of research… Kyle Busch and his fetish of kissing bumpers!

Just remember you heard this first from Ron Ripple! I didn’t just pull this out of the air and after doing hours of research I was able to secure a few pieces of evidence and it just so happens two of the articles of evidence was from THIS weekend’s races. Without further adeui… here is Kyle Busch and Jr interviews after the act of Kissing Bumpers. When I say kissing, I hope at this point you understand that I mean wrecking.

The kiss Kyle Busch gave during the Lipton 250 race was even better! He and Steven Wallace battle it out on and off the race track. Here’s yet another reason why the fans and fellow racers dislike Kyle Busch.

Are you a fan of Kyle Busch? There’s no doubt he’s a great racer but what do you think of Kyle off the track?

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It’s been a while since I tooted good ol’ Dale Earnhardt Jr’s horn and it’s more than likely because the man hasn’t secured one win this season. Now’s a better time than ever! Toot TOOt! I guess what impress’s me the most is the fact he started the year with a brand new team, a new number/sponsor and he’s in the top 3 overall in points. He’s consistently in the top 10 with 7 top 10’s and 3 top 5’s. He’s been out of the drama lately so we haven’t heard much. I see him around the pits and he’s been begging me to interview him so he gets a little more talk on my site but I just haven’t had the time!

Check out the superbowl commercial AMP Energy drink created. It just shows the true passion, strength and determination Jr displays not only in a desert but also on the track.

I wish him the best of luck in the upcoming races, he’s always impressive and the man NEEDS a win. Maybe if he gets that win I’ll take some time out of my busy beer drinking, nascar talking day and interview him like he asks.

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I know I give Jeff Gordon and all of his fan’s a hard time about how he’s a non beer drinker and might legally be classified as a midget, but I’m only playing and have a lot of respect for the man. He’s not only a great racer, but the man is a PIMP!!! Check out his incredible wife Ingrid Vandebosch.

 

 

Ingrid was a former Belgian model/actress when she met the little guy Jeff Gordon. It’s my understanding that they met at a party in 2003 where Ingrid and Jeff each played a role in the movie “Taxi”. They dated for about 2.5 years before Jeff stepped up and dug (not too deep) into his pockets for some cash to purchase a 5.6 carat diamond ring. Rumors went around that Jeff didn’t have to get on one knee he was so short and she of course said YES! They’ve been married now for some time and are expecting their first child. I give Jeff Gordon two thumbs up for marrying one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever laid eyes on. I always enjoy seeing her in the pits and he better watch out as I may come in and sweep her off her feet while he’s out there on the race course!

More pictures below!

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Congrats to Jimmie Johnson and the Hendrick Motorsports in their much needed win on Saturday night. It came down to balls and gas, and well…. Jimmie had the biggest balls and more gas than the remaining losers of the night! I’m sure I’ll get a thank you card from Jimmie in the mail this week as I believe the reason he won is because a) I didn’t jinx them with my typical “Jimmie Johnson/Hendricks Can’t Win” rants… and b) I did a beautiful post about his GORGEOUS wife Chandra Johnson!

The race in my opinion was great! I thought for a while that the story of the day was going to be all about Dale Earnhardt and his former #8 car Mark Martin. Those two were battling for first for theee longest time. But I must say overall this was one helluva race, the track conditions continued to change between sun up and sun down. Cars were too tight, too loose, too damn tough to control and pit strategies were key! I loved it. I was up till the end and can’t believe I was able to stay awake as I must have downed a case of beers in one sitting. What were your favorite moments? Do you think Chandra did anything different on race morning to give her husband the edge?

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Wow… Carl Edwards is kicking ass and taking names.  Three wins already this year is pretty ridiculous if you ask me considering it’s only been seven races of the season.  Carl Edwards held off Jimmie Johnson during the restart this past Sunday and prevented the Hendrick Motorsports team from getting into victory lane yet once again. 

The Samsung 500 was an eventful race to say the least.  Gordon battled an ill handling car which resulted in slamming into turn four on lap 109.  Dale Earnhardt Jr who sat on the pole also dealt with an ill handling car which caused him to to finish 12th and a lap down.  Kyle Busch battled it out throughout the whole race and ended up finishing third.  Clint Boyer and Denny Hamlin made contact with each other on the last lap which caused Boyer to hit the wall but still gave him a 10th place finish.

 Of course a Sprint Cup Race wouldn’t be a race without some sort of penalty.  Ryan Newman who finished fourth failed the post race inspection due to the right rear of his car being too high.  As usual the crew cheif was fined $25,000 and the team and owner has been penalized 25 points.  It just seems to me like this year is the year for penalties.  I don’t know if it’s the new COT’s or if these guys are just pushing the limits.

What has been your favorite race to watch this year?  I thought this one was pretty enjoyable.

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“You got a clock, baby, you got a clock!” shouted Denny Hamlin’s crew chief as he crossed the finish line. Are you kidding me? Screw the clock, Hamlin got a win in the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 and broke both this season’s dry spell and bad luck. For those of you who don’t know, every winner of the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 receives a grandfather clock. Hamlin was able to secure the win and the clock, when crew decided on the last caution to take only fuel and no tires. This was the break he needed after coming out of the pits in front of Gordon. He and Gordon charged to the front where he would stay for the win. Gordon was a strong contender all race but was unable to slip and slide his way past this year’s winner Denny Hamlin.

The real story is not about the reigning champ Jimmie Johnson finishing fourth after a spin on lap 296 or the battle between Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart. It’s all about Jamie McMurray one of the all star underdog’s sitting uncomfortably outside of the top 35 bubble in points. His best finish this year has been a miserable 22nd and the young driver was determined to break the bad luck. I was able to speak with him at a BBQ party I was holding on Saturday night. We were talking about race day and he was very optimistic. I of course as I always do, offered him a beer but the man was focused! Sunday was a great day for the struggling star. He was a contender all race sticking to the hip of the leaders and finishing eighth. I foresee a solid season for the kid and predict a big W by the end.

Look for my opinion in an upcoming article I’ll be writing about the Martinsville drama that took place. Roush allegations on stolen parts, new drivers and more… Oh and check out the points standings on the right sidebar.. very interesting!

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It was 1979 and a beautiful afternoon for a race in Daytona, FL. Thousands of spectators showed up for one of the most spectacular events of the year. This was the first race where CBS broadcast a race from start to finish and the drivers, crew, and fans were pumped full of adrenaline. (Those days people would only get to see bits and pieces of the race on TV) The race was thrilling with position changes going on everywhere… a huge battle was going on for first place between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison with record speeds. Richard Petty was in third and at least a half a lap behind the battle for first. Who won? Well take a look below to see what happened on the very last lap!

Not sure if you recognized him, but Bobbie Allison was the darker haired gentleman explaining how he stopped to give his brother Donnie a ride to the pits. He was a lap down and the real reason he stopped was to get a few fists in on Cale. Bobby later described the incident with Cale: “For some reason, Cale kept hitting my fist repeatedly with his nose.” These are the stories that are still talked about today! Who remembers the win in 1980? (guarantee it’s not many) It’s incredible events like these that keep the lasting memories of races that helped bring NASCAR where it is today. This is a competitive sport and it just goes to show that drivers are humans and they HAVE emotion. The whole fight was broadcast on CBS and guess what happened to NASCAR ticket sales?… they skyrocketed through the roof.

What are your thoughts on NASCAR’s view on letting men be men?

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