Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Plot[edit]

In rural North Carolina, Ricky Bobby is born in the backseat of a speeding car when his father, Reese, accidentally misses the turnoff for the hospital. Ricky sees his father only once after that, at age 10, at school. During this encounter, Reese tells Ricky, "If you ain't first, you're last", advice which Ricky takes to heart. Fifteen years later, Ricky works on the pit crew of Dennit Racing driver Terry Cheveaux. When last-placed Cheveaux decides to take a bathroom break, Ricky replaces him and finishes third. Larry Dennit Sr. gives Ricky a permanent seat and he quickly rises to be one of NASCAR's most successful drivers. He meets his future wife Carley when she flashes her breasts after one of his wins.


Ricky persuades Dennit to field a second team for his best friend, Cal Naughton Jr., and they become an unstoppable duo using their "Shake and Bake" slingshot technique on the track. Ricky's newfound arrogance, however, aggravates Dennit's alienated son, who retaliates by adding talented, openly gay French Formula One driver Jean Girard to the team. Girard not only taunts Ricky, but outperforms him and becomes the team's top driver. Desperate to beat Girard, Ricky crashes at Lowe's Motor Speedway, suffers an apparent mental health crisis on the track, and is hospitalized. Fearful of wrecking again, his performance drastically declines and Dennit subsequently fires him. Carley leaves him for Cal, who still considers Ricky his best friend, but Ricky insists that their friendship is over.


Ricky and his two unruly sons, Walker and Texas Ranger, move in with Ricky's mother Lucy, who is determined to reform the boys. Ricky takes a job as a pizza delivery man, but when he loses his driver's license, he is reduced to delivering pizza by bus or by bicycle. When his life hits rock bottom, Reese returns and uses unorthodox methods (such as putting a live cougar in his car) to help Ricky regain his confidence. But after causing trouble at an Applebee's restaurant, Reese abandons the family again. Before he does, he refutes his quote, "If you ain't first, you're last", that has steered Ricky's life. Reese confesses that he was high (on drugs) when he said it, and that it does not make sense. Ricky's former assistant, Susan, persuades him to return to NASCAR. They quickly develop a romantic relationship when Ricky takes Susan's advice and races at Talladega Superspeedway. Before the race, Ricky meets with Girard, who admits he came to America hoping to lose to a superior driver so he can retire. At the speedway, Ricky makes amends with Cal, while reuniting with his pit crew. With no sponsors, Ricky's car is painted with a cougar and the word "ME" to build his own self-confidence.


During the race, after Ricky climbs from last to second behind Girard, Cal uses their slingshot technique to help Ricky pass Girard. In the final laps, however, Dennit orders Cal to knock Ricky out of the race. When Cal refuses, Dennit orders Ricky's replacement driver to take Cal out instead, causing a massive wreck that eliminates everyone except Ricky and Girard. On the last lap, Ricky and Girard collide, wrecking their cars. They hastily exit their vehicles and run towards the finish line, and Ricky dives across the line first. Girard offers Ricky a handshake for allowing him to retire, but Ricky responds by kissing him on the lips. Both drivers are disqualified for exiting their cars and Cal, who was originally in third place, becomes the winner. Following his victory, Cal and Ricky reconcile and become friends again. In the parking lot, Reese congratulates Ricky, who declares that it was no longer about winning, since his family loves him no matter where he finishes. Ricky, his family and Susan leave to go to Applebee's.


In a post credits scene, Lucy is shown reading a story to Walker and Texas Ranger, both having been fully rehabilitated by her and who are now respectful and sophisticated children.