Talladega Nights: The Main Characters, Ranked By Intelligence

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is an incredible comedy featuring Will Ferrel as a NASCAR driver named Ricky Bobby. It follows his rise and fall as a famed driver in a hilarious way as the film takes more than a few unexpected turns. The one thing viewers instantly notice within the first few minutes of watching the film is that the main characters range in intelligence.

Some are obviously school smart, while others put their common sense and talents to good use in order to obtain what they want out of life. It doesn’t make everyone a winner, but it does rank some higher up on the intelligence scale. Keep reading to see how each of the main characters ranked based on the various aspects of their personalities that are seen throughout the film!

10 Cal Naughton, Jr.

Cal Naughton, Jr. is what some might call an opportunist as he never shows any true intelligence within the film. Fortunately, he was a close friend of Ricky Bobby and it was because of this that he was able to become a racecar driver in the first place. He failed to understand how stealing his best friend’s wife was unacceptable and is even quoted in the film saying “Please don’t let the invisible fire burn my friend!” which is all there is to say about his ranking.

9 Ricky Bobby

Some fans might expect Ricky Bobby to be higher up on this list, but all he really had was skill as a racecar driver. He basically obtained his job by chance and after his accident, the only job he can obtain is one as a pizza delivery man. It doesn’t even occur to him that his wife married him for the fame and money as he is surprised when she leaves him without a second thought after he lost his job as a racecar driver.

8 Carley Bobby

Carley Bobby might not be the most intelligent person on the planet, but she is a go-getter who understands how to manipulate men in order to obtain the life she wants for herself. She flashed her breasts at Ricky Bobby and then pretended for years to love him in order to attain both fame and fortune. When he lost his job she managed to seduce his best friend in order to keep the luxurious life she wanted for herself which is why she is above the other two racers in this ranking.

7 Reese Bobby

Reese Bobby is Ricky’s father and he might have walked out on his son at a young age, but he managed to stay alive because of his brains. He was the one who managed to put his son back into the driver’s seat and help him overcome his fear of the road.

It wasn’t the smartest thing to put a cougar in the backseat, although it did work wonders. Viewers also watched him make a pretty penny as he took the tickets that Ricky Bobby had left for him at one of the races and sold them to the highest bidder.

6 Susan

Susan is originally Ricky Bobby’s assistant and her intelligence is evident from the start as she would need it in order to be hired for the job. It becomes even more clear when she reminds him that the reason he is a great driver is that he has a passion for it and her inspiring speech only adds to this feeling. However, she was ranked lower on the list as she did end up falling for him, which many would think that someone of her intellect who spent hours listening to his insanity would never fall for someone so low on the scale.

5 Jean Girard

Jean Girard is an F1 driver from France who has a record of excellence, but he is a man of decent intellect as well. He was offered an opportunity to take on Ricky Bobby, but he made sure to psych him out off the track in order to give himself a better chance at victory. It was this need for a challenge combined with the intricate mind games he played that put him in the middle of this list.

4 Lucius Washington

Lucius Washington was a man of intelligence because he was focused on making a living and often gave sound advice to Ricky Bobby. He made his way up the ranks in order to become the crew chief where he was responsible for managing everything in regards to the car and the race.

It takes a high amount of intelligence in order to be put in this position, and even after he had to find a new job he showed his ability to use these skills elsewhere. They translated into his management position at the car wash, but it was also partly his doing that helped put Ricky Bobby back on the track following his accident.

3 Mrs. Dennit

Fans might disagree with putting Mrs. Dennit this high up on the list, but looking back there wasn’t much she did that would be considered unintelligent. She married Mr. Dennit, a rich man whose family owns Dennit Racing which gives her financial freedom. This woman might not be happy in her marriage, but she has all the money in the world to spend it drinking the day away as she eats fancy dinners with her husband and spends her days watching races from the best seats at the track.

2 Larry Dennit, Jr.

Dennit Racing was passed down to Larry Dennit, Jr. who might be against Ricky Bobby, but he is quite an intelligent man. He is obviously educated as his team is still thriving financially and Girard was an excellent driver to bring to the team due to his proven record of success. This man managed to save his racing company from doom following Ricky Bobby’s accident as Girard continued to bring them success, but it is his small-mindedness about his original team of drivers that kept him from the top spot.

1 Lucy Bobby

Lucy is Ricky Bobby’s mother and she is the most intelligent character in the film because of her common sense. She raised her son to chase his dreams and then helped him find his way again after his accident. She is often seen giving him advice and reminding him of the importance of family in the grand scheme of things. One of the most impressive parts of her character is the ability to discipline Ricky’s boys as she transforms them into polite and respectful young men beneath her care.

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