NASCAR’s Biggest Fan - Ron Ripple

This weekend we’re heading down to Sonoma for an incredible road course with turn after turn after turn and I cannot wait.  This is going to be an awesome race to watch, and as much as I love to see these guys turn left, it’s going to be incredibly fascinating to see them turn right.  I mean… do these cars even turn right?  We’ll just have to wait and see. 

Wow… Did they seriously just take a right turn?

Sonoma is a track where road course racers are supposed to stand out and show the world what they’re all about.  Many times a team owner hires a road racer to come out here and show the world what they’ve got and in the end make a fool of themselves by getting owned by the true NASCAR racers themselves.  The statistics show (Nascar.com) only 1.5% of hired guns actually finish top 5 at the end of the day and usually get shown up by the true NASCAR (left turn only) racers. 

I love watching road courses and i’m glad NASCAR has a few on the schedule.  This course has a lot of history behind it and a lot of drivers really enjoy it.  Jeff Gordon is one of the guys to beat this weekend with having won 5 out of the last 10 starts here.  He hasn’t been dominating much this year but he’s been in the shadows and this could be the race that lights the fire underneath his panties. 

Another racer who has done well here is Juan Montoya.  This is his kind of course and he’ll be going out there trying to defend his title.  Juan won this race last year by basically driving by ever single car in the field.  He started in the 32nd position last year and is the first driver to win the race having started further back than 13th position.  I’m not a big Montoya fan but I think he’s going to be a driver to watch out for.  He obviously knows this course and knows how to pass… (Craig you better call your boy and tell him to step up his game because he’s going to make me look bad if he doesn’t)

Of course there is going to be a lot of hype behind other racers such as Tony Stewart, Boris Said, Terry Labonte, and many more due to the fact that they are great road racers.  But I think the guys that will need to shine and make a solid finish are those focused on making the top 12 for the chase at the end of the year…  Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers, Clint Boyer, Martin Truex Jr.

Of course an article on Ron Ripple wouldn’t be an article without mentioning Kyle Busch.  For once I have to say Kyle Busch is making a great decision and has decided not to race the Nationwide Series race this weekend in Milwaukee.  Sonoma is a tough course and takes a toll on these racers especially if they’re not in their prime come race day.  There are a couple racers who have decided to race both and those are David Reutimann, Clint Boyer, and Carl Edwards.  All are great racers and have a chance at Sonoma but I think racing both races is going to be a mistake. 

Who do you think will take home the trophy this weekend?  Is it me or are you excited about the road course as well?  Boy do I love NASCAR….

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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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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 Saturday is the 24th running of the All Star race at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway, and all I can say is… “Damn I’m excited.” To me, this is a race where champions get together and show each other what they’ve got. I think we’re going to see the typical domination by Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and of course we’ll probably see Dale Earnhardt up there in the hunt… but it’s a chance for everyone to battle it out and earn a HUGE income for the year.

The All Star race is an interesting race to say the least… anyone has a chance to win it because every 25 laps they allow the drivers to pit and make changes to the car such as fuel, tires, and standard chassis adjustments. Once they’ve made the adjustments they restart the cars in the order in which they finished the previous segment. They do this a total of three times and then the last 25 laps is “Do or Die.” Only one car can win, and that winner will receive a purse of over $1,000,000. Now you tell me, this isn’t going to be a crazy race.

In my opinion… I believe we’re going to see some different sides to a lot of these drivers. We can all agree that Tony Stewart is going to be doing his standard “bumping his way up through the pack” as well as Kyle Busch’s “driving like Dale Earnhardt Sr.” But if I were to be a betting man, I would have to once again pick Carl Edwards to be up there in the front… and then my second pick would have to go to Denny Hamlin.  Carl Edwards has been the guy to beat this year along with Kyle Busch, he’s got the drive to win and of course the kid has been practicing his back flips, so I’ve got to give him that.  Denny Hamlin on the other hand has kind of been like Burton… the silent but deadly driver who stays out of the controversy and doesn’t make a big scene.  Those are the guys you need to be afraid of… ALWAYS in the hunt.

Let’s make this Post a “Who’s your pick?”

The winner will get a “Ron Ripple” T-shirt…

You only get one pick, so make sure you do your homework.

Below is a list of the Driver’s eligible for this race:

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Tony Stewart who you all know is one of my favorite drivers, is the topic of discussion throughout the NASCAR community.  The rumor on the street is that he’s been getting multiple offers from a number of different race teams even though his contract doesn’t come up with Joe Gibbs Racing until the end of the 2009 season.  Tony Stewart said that he is going to be completely honest and up front with Joe Gibbs and has already admitted to keeping his ears open.  The biggest story that has been going around the pits is he’s decided already to sign with Haas CNC racing which is a second class racing team. 

J.D. Gibbs says they aren’t worried about the possible offers and has denied the claims.  They think Tony Stewart will make the right decision and stay with a team he will win with, and they’re confident they are THAT team.  One thing they have mentioned is if Tony decides he doesn’t plan on staying with the Gibbs team, he better at least fulfill his contract and stay till the end of the 2009 year.

Tony Stewart on the other hand has other interests… his goal is to not only be a driver but also a team owner.  He wants to guarantee a life long career in the racing world, and the next peice to the puzzle is to own a team.  So rumors on the street are he’s already signed with Haas CRC racing, but not only as a driver but also part owner in the team. 

To me it sounds like Tony Stewart has made his decision… I think he’s going to fulfill his contract because he’s a stand up guy and Joe Gibbs has been an incredible team owner for him.  I personally think he should keep racing for Joe Gibbs… but I understand why he wants to secure his life long career in the NASCAR world.  If it aint broke than don’t fix it… he will be racing for a second class team.  And second class teams are second class teams with second class equipment.  He’s not going to find a more professional, more prepared team than Joe Gibbs and right now Joe Gibbs is THE TEAM to beat. 

Another reason why I think Tony made the swith is because I think he’s a Chevy guy.   Tony switched to the Toyota this year when the Gibbs team decided it was going to be the car they all ran this year.  His Nationwide Series team is currently still running the Chevy and I think he’s always been a Chevy guy and feels comfortable in a Chevy.  Tony Stewart and Toyota go together like beer and popsicles.  They just dont! 

It’s going to be a sad day when he makes the switch… but who knows… maybe he’ll turn a second class team into a first class team.  I hope this isn’t the last we see of Tony and I hope he doesn’t become a has been who lost his aggressive, opinionated, drama filled always a contender to be reckoned with attitude.  10 years and racing for the same owner with over 34 wins is a great accomplishment, let’s just hope he keeps us all on the edge of our seats.

 What do you think… is he going to continue racing for Joe Gibbs?  Is he going to fulfill his contract or will he pull out early?

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Alright… I made a little mistake on my last post and named off all these great names that “I said” were going to be racing down in Mexico City.  The truth is… hardly anybody will be racing down there in Mexico City and I’m curious as to why.  The big name road racers such as Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon both snubbed the Mexico City race this weekend.  The only big names that will be down there racing are Kyle Busch, David Reutimann, Carl Edwards, Clint Boyer and then Scott Pruett who is one of the best road racers that have ever existed. 

 There are g0ing to be a lot of local favorites from Mexico that will be racing, one of them being Adrian Fernandez who has had three top 10 finishes in the last three Nationwide races he’s raced in down there in Mexico City.  Adrian Fernandez is a local racer and very popular with the local Mexicans who will be hoping for a home town favorite to win the big race.  He not only has a competitive advantage by knowing the race course but he also has an advantage because it’s his birthday on Sunday and I know there are a lot of generous racers out there.  Haha… I highly doubt anyone’s going to help him out though!

 Another great racer who is making a guest appearance is Sam Hornish Jr. who was the winner of the 2006 Indy 500.  Sam doesn’t have much experience if any at all in a stock car but he defintiely knows road courses and is hands down a great driver.  I don’t think he has a chance at winning this race but I have a feeling he’ll end up somewhere in the top 15. 

 I personally think it’s going to be an exciting race to watch.  Road races are a lot of fun especially when you have someone to route for.   I’m going to be pulling for Kyle Busch or Carl Edwards because they’re regulars and I highly doubt any of these randoms are going to do anything extraordinary.  I wish everyone luck and will be drinking a beer on turn 3 of the race course. 

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Who’s your pick to win the Martinsville race? I don’t know about you, but it feels like years since the last race even though it’s only been two weeks. I’m ready for a short course race and Martinsville couldn’t have come at a better time. Martinsville is home of the 1/2 mile oval track, 60 degree weather and 65,000+ fans. To me it sounds like a perfect time for a beer loaded tailgate pre-race party in the parking lot . I wish I could make it!

This weekend I’m going pick either Tony Stewart or Jimmie Johnson for the checkered flag. Both are very good on Short Courses and both need a win. Tony Stewart is duethis year and has been in the hunt for most of this year’s races. Recently he’s had more off the course publicity with his crazy tirades such as the sucker punch in Daytona, his personal opinion about Goodyear Tires, and his recent trimming of his mullet. Obviously I can’t talk smack about a mullet just look at mine, but his was getting a little shaggy.

My other pick for the weekend is Jimmie Johnson. You’d be crazy not to pick him as a top contender considering he’s won three straight Cup races at Martinsville. Jimmie Johnson is due for a win this year and it couldn’t have come at a better time since this is “his” track. I’d say Jimmie Johnson OWNS this track and needs to DEFEND his title. As you’ve read in my previous articles, the Hendrick camp needs a win and now is their chance. The pansy wine drinking Jeff Gordon, defending champion Jimmie Johnson, and AMP’d up Dale Earnhardt Jr are all great short track racers and all desperately need a win.

As usual I’m not going to count Kyle Busch out… He’s definitely one of my favorites this year. Since the season started he hands down been dominating all of NASCAR’s series. But let me know who your picks are. I’m curious to see who everyone’s favorites are.

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