Nascar Race Picks: Uncle Max vs. The Tarot Deck—Phoenix

Its almost tournament time—and no, I don’t mean the meaningless World Baseball Classic.  I mean March Madness is almost here!  I run a few bracket pools every year, usually two at work (one for everyone, one just for my fellow managers) and run at least one for my group of friends.  I’ll have my picks next week—hey, and you thought my Nascar picks were bad!

But seriously, this has NOT been a good start to my season.  Three weeks in, still no winners.  Here’s hoping the trip to the desert breaks up this drought.

TRUCK SERIES —off till next week

Saturday Afternoon XFINITY SERIES United Rentals 200: Kyle Busch—Groundhog Day is back again again.

Sunday CUP SERIES United Rentals 500:  The Tarot Deck selects The Queen of Swords, last week’s winner William Byron.  FAVORITE: Alex Bowman—the HMS train (or should that be boat?) keeps rolling.  NEXT FAVORITE: Kyle Larson—retribution from last week.  DARK HORSE: Josh Berry—maybe I’m outsmarting myself here.

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

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Buy the book 100 Stock Car Racing What Ifs Unauthorized

Does this track have lights?

A MOXOC Media production

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Spade Racing Opens a Box of Panini PRIZM Cards, Part 9 of 12

Pack 9: Two Dales, White Whales, and Hair Gales

FIRST LOOK: Thanks to Panini owning the licenses for certain drivers for years after their retirements, we get cards for drivers like Dale Jr.  Although due to the controversial management of his father’s estate by his widow, we don’t get Dale Sr. cards.  Strange.

TO THE BACK: Rusty seemed to REALLY want to win a title after joining Penske Racing South, but his best shot came in 1993 when Dale Sr. essentially wrecked him out of the championship.

SAY WHAT: “Uh-oh, is that breeze making my hair flip up like a roof flap?”

RATING: 9 End Over End Flips out of 10

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

www.facebook.com/spaderacing

www.twitter.com/spaderacing

Visit the store https://www.cafepress.com/spaderacing

Buy the book 100 Stock Car Racing What Ifs Unauthorized

Does this track have lights?

A MOXOC Media production

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Track “Facts”: Indianapolis Raceway Park

Nascar races on all sorts of tracks, from short to long, oval to road course, concrete to asphalt.  Here’s a bi-weekly look at all the tracks of Nascar’s National Touring Series.

LUCAS OIL INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK

0.686 mile asphalt short track

Opened 1960

Lights?  Yes

Series: Trucks

Nicknames: IRP, LORP, MEEP MORP

THREE FUN FACTS:

1. IRP is the only track Nascar races on that is owned by NHRA, a result of the huge drag racing facility on-site.  NHRA hosts its most-prestigious race here, The US Nationals, which kind of makes me want to see a low-level drag race on the Daytona backstretch.

2. The Xfinity Series used to race here before its race was moved to the much-larger Indianapolis Motor Speedway in order to give fans the chance for a two-hour nap on Saturdays.

3. Mario Andretti won his first-ever IndyCar race at this track, which must be confusing to open wheel fans.  It would be like if Richard Petty won HIS first Nascar race on, say, Deltona Motor Raceway.

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

www.facebook.com/spaderacing

www.twitter.com/spaderacing

Visit the store https://www.cafepress.com/spaderacing

Buy the book 100 Stock Car Racing What Ifs Unauthorized

Does this track have lights?

A MOXOC Media production

www.moxoc.com