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 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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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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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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Well the new drama and buzz going around NASCAR is how opinionated Mr. Stewart is.  One of the main reasons why I enjoy watching Tony Stewart race is because you can always tell what’s on his mind.  He says what everyone is thinking and just blatantly tells it how it is.  Well I’ve attached a video about his new comments to this post and you can see for yourself what Tony Stewart is thinking.

It looks like the way things are going this year that Goodyear may have a Badyear!  Tony Stewart basically tells Goodyear they’ve been kicked out of every single series they were in and why are they now with NASCAR.  I don’t blame him!  The tires they received for this race were sent to them a week before the race and it takes more than a week to set the cars up.  

I think this is going to be a season to remember.  Like I said before… the season just started and there’s already more drama than I’ve seen in the last two years of racing.  Do you side with Tony or do you think he’s just being ridiculous?

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KYLE BUSCH.  All I have to say is holy shitzu… this kid is good.  I have a feeling that while I was playing with G.I. Joe’s at the age of 3, Kyle Busch was driving the lawn mower learning how to put the pedal to the metal.  This kid was dominating yesterday’s race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway basically the whole time.  If I had to put my money on someone to win the season I would have to say Kyle Busch.  I know I know… kinda obvious since he’s ahead in the points, but I don’t see anyone else putting on a show like this kid.

 Other shoutouts I have to give after watching the race is Dale Earnhardt Jr, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards.  All three ran an incredible race leading quite a few laps.  It was unfortunate Carl Edwards blew an engine after leading for so long but I guess that’s racing.  Dale Earnhardt was in the hunt the whole time and was always a threat.  I’d love to see him win a race and get the taste of victory back in his blood.   Tony Stewart was in the top 10 most of the race but obviously crept up to the front towards the end.

 It was soooo cold this past weekend up there, I was worried that they were going to have to post pone the race again.  I almost wanted to put my bathing suit on and see if the track was a slip in slide because after watching Sunday’s race and seeing those guys slide through the turns I figured it had to be fun.  I talked to Tony Stewart in his hauler after the race on Sunday and he was not too happy about the tires Goodyear brought to this race.  He said it was the worst tires he’s ever used and that Goodyear better step up their “A” game if they want to get off his “Shit List.”

Overall I have to admit I really enjoyed watching this race.  It was definitely a driver’s course with the rough conditions of the track and the poor tires Goodyear brought.  Three of my favorite drivers, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, and Dale Earnhardt Jr finished in the top three and I’m already excited for next weekend.  It feels like these weeks are flying by…  we’re almost a month into the season. 

 I’m glad to be back… now let’s get cooking on those comments.  I want to hear your opinions.

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Robby Gordon is appealing his 100 point penalty as well as his crew cheif’s $100,000 fine and suspension. Gordon goes on to explain that the illegal bumper was a complete accident and clerical error that had nothing to do with his team. He explains the nose they put on the car was shipped to them from Dodge’s distributor and was a nose that had notyet been approved by NASCAR officials. Gordon states that he’s not appealing the whole penalty, but he is appealing the harshness of the penalty. He’s complaining that it was a clerical error and it wasn’t meant to have a competitive edge over his competition. He’s saying it’s too harsh of a penalty and it’s perposterous that he’s getting the same penalty that someone recieved last year for adding a substance to their fuel.

I have to agree with Robby Gordon on his frustration and the harshness of the penalty. If you’re going to penalize him for a human error and an honest mistake then make it a minor penalty. Penalize him 25 points, fine his crew cheif $10,000, give his team a slap on the wrist and maybe take away their beer supply for a week. I just find it hard to believe NASCAR is penalizing them for something so minor but they won’t penalize Kurt Busch or Tony Stewart for damaging each other’s car or punching each other in the face.

The NASCAR officials are an interesting breed, I guess they’re just lucky I’m not handing out the penalties because I would hit them where it hurts. Yeah you know what I’m talking about… the Beer consumption and Racer’s Parties.

What’s your opinion on this whole issue?

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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’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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Alright… as you all know I don’t like to pick favorites because I want to stay politically correct, but for 2008 I’m going to pick Tony Stewart to do well.  There’s just something about the way he drives and his attitude on the track that I like to watch and hope to see.  I’m not gonna lie though… if I don’t see him get pissed off or nudge a few cars this year I might lose interest in him.  But the reason why I’m routing for him this year is because he’s jumping into a new Toyota.  It may not sound like a big deal, but he’s been driving a GM for the last 9 years and has been extremely successful.  The Toyota had a rough season last year and only made two top 5 finishes and neither of them being trips to victory lane.  I think that if anyone can take the car to victory lane its Tony Stewart and the Joe Gibbs team. 

Rumors are going around though that Tony is enjoying his new ride so far.  We all know that it takes a lot time for a car to get dialed in, but what we didn’t know is that Joe Gibbs and his team have spent a whole year doing so.  I have a feeling that Tony Stewart and the Joe Gibbs team are going to come out smokin.  Kyle Busch who is Tony Stewart’s team mate has already had the fastest track time this year during testing on the Daytona speedway.  You may be asking yourself why a team would switch to a new car if they’ve been so successful with their current car.  The only answer I can come up with is technology is forever changing and if you’re not on top of your “A” game then you might as well sit in the back of the pack.  I think it’s too early to decide how he’s going to do especially since he’s only had three days of test time on the Daytona Track.  But mark my words, he’s going to come out strong and I have a feeling that he’s going to be unstoppable.  As Ricky Bobby says, “If you’re not first, you’re last.” 

What’s your opinion on this topic?  Do you think Tony is going to lose a step with this new car?  Let me know your thoughts.

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