Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby - Real-world Homage

Real-world Homage

In homage to Talladega Nights, on the final lap of the 2009 Aaron's 499 (one of two Sprint Cup races at Talladega Superspeedway), Carl Edwards climbed out of his wrecked automobile after Brad Keselowski made contact with his car on the final lap. Edwards turned backwards, went airborne, bounced off and destroyed Ryan Newman's hood, then flew into the catch fence, before skidding to a stop on the apron just beyond the pit-road exit, as Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. crossed the finish line. Edwards then climbed out of his car, and jogged to the finish line to a standing ovation from the crowd. NASCAR on Fox play-by-play commentator Mike Joy commented how it was "shades of Ricky Bobby." Edwards was later asked about this on Larry King Live; he responded, "I'm kind of a Will Ferrell fan. He did that at the end of Talladega Nights."

The reaction and apprehension about the spoof on NASCAR film was such that Alabama author and writer, Will Estell's character was originally to depict the CEO of Ford Motor Company presenting the winning Talladega trophy to Reilly's Naughton, however this changed at the last moment the day of filming because Ford Motor Company refused to lend its likeness to the film. This, causing the wardrobe department to remove the Ford hat that Estell was wearing in order to have his character show no affiliation to the auto company.

In 2011, the video game Saints Row the Third spoofed the scene where Ricky has to drive with a live cougar in the passenger seat so he can learn to ride with fear. In Saints Row, the main character (referred to as "The Boss") is forced to drive a jeep with a tiger in it so they could learn to overcome their fear.

In 2012, Kurt Busch ran his #51 car with the "ME" paint scheme used by Ricky Bobby at the end of Talladega Nights during the 2012 Aaron's 499 at Talladega, right down to the cougar painted on the hood and the rear bumper tag "I Wanna Go Fast". Busch had spent the majority of the season with little or no sponsorship after leaving racing powerhouse Penske Racing and joining James Finch's underfunded Phoenix Racing. Busch's girlfriend Patricia Driscoll spent months getting permission from Sony and Will Ferrell as well as other trademark and license holders. Busch's real-life fall from grace during the 2011-12 Sprint Cup off-season after being fired from Penske has been compared to Ricky Bobby's.