Kaley Cuoco sets tongues wagging as sexy Girl Next Door Penny of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, but did you know that the blonde bombshell made her sitcom debut on the now-defunct series 8 Simple Rules.

We’ve got a first look at her racy Maxim centerfold (on newsstands Feb. 23), which the mag is calling “the sexiest photos of her ever taken.”

Kaley opens up about her sometimes reckless driving and shares fond memories of TV dad John Ritter.

Kaley Remembers John Ritter: “Right before he passed away, he told me, ‘Never go on Howard Stern.’ When ‘8 Simple Rules’ came out, my character was this sexy 16-year-old vixen, and Howard used to talk about how my character was so hot. John would get so upset. I love that Howard was talking about me, and I have no problem with it, but if John Ritter had a problem, then I have to respect it.”

Kaley On Fender Benders: “I’ve had so many, I can’t even count. Just yesterday I was driving along and all of a sudden I hear this loud sound. I was like, ‘Oh my God! What was that?’ I totally knocked someone’s mirror off their van. … I did leave a note – I was very proud of myself.”