Race Picks (the last season?), Uncle Max vs. The Points Leader: NEW HAMPSHIRE

There’s big news afoot, and I don’t just mean the Nascar playoffs.  I just found out that my current store (where I’m an assistant manager) is expanding to a NEW location about a half hour from my townhouse.  And guess what?

I’m in the running to be the new store’s manager!

Now don’t get me wrong—I realize that most people (myself included) didn’t grow up with dreams of retail management.  But with what I’ve been doing all these years as an assistant manager, this has always been the end goal.  So wish me luck—interviews start next week!

TRUCK SERIES (6 wins) Team EJP 175 (Saturday 12pm on FS1) LAYNE RIGGS—even better than Layne Murtaugh.

XFINITY SERIES (2 wins) off 

CUP SERIES Mobil 1 301 (Sunday 2pm ET on USA) Points Leader picks DENNY HAMLIN.  Favorite (3 wins): TYLER REDDICK—someone’s gonna “punch their ticket this weekend…  Next Favorite (5 wins): BUBBA WALLACE—…and I think it’ll be someone from 23XI.  Dark Horse (2 wins): ALEX BOWMAN—OR someone one week too late.

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

Buy the book 100 Stock Car Racing What Ifs Unauthorized

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A MOXOC Media production

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Spade Racing Opens a 2025 Donruss Hobby Box: Pack 5 of 16

It’s back to new cards, with a “hobby box” of 2025 Donruss racing cards.  There’s sixteen packs, so join me as I go through each of them!

Pack 5 of 16: E, Kulwicki, and West Virginny

First Look: Here it is, a really big letter E for Dale Earnhardt Jr.  Yeah, they really ARE starting to run out of ideas for subsets.

To the Back: I have no idea they they chose a picture of Alan trying to dislodge a sesame seed from his teeth here.

Say What: “Some country roads don’t take you home, just to a random gas station in Elkins.”

Final Rating: 2 loose race cars 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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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Ross Chastain

Ross Chastain subs in for an injured Ryan Newman at RFR (2020) 

Join me throughout this year as I take a look at when some of the sport’s biggest stars drove some unusual cars! (Presented in no particular order).

Ross Chastain racing Kurt Busch, Courtesy Racer

Why? After several years in mostly backmarker equipment in all three national touring series, Ross Chastain found himself with a full-time Xfinity Series ride in 2020 with Kaulig Racing.  However, Ryan Newman’s vicious wreck in the Daytona 500 necessitated a substitute, and RoushFenway chose the experienced Chastain for the role.

How successful were they? Thrown into the 6 car with only a few days of prep-time, it’s perhaps understandable that Chastain would finish 27th, 17th, and 23rd in three races.  Any further starts were stymied by the sport shutting down for the COVID-19 pandemic.

What was the aftermath? Newman returned to the 6 car, while Chastain would return to the Cup Series in 2021 for Chip Ganassi Racing.  He stayed with the team as it transitioned to Trackhouse Racing, and has posted five Cup wins since.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 6 watermelons out of 10—Chastain had what it took to be a substitute on short notice, but its still an odd choice—he wasn’t even a Ford driver.

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