Race Picks Iowa: Spade Racing vs. AI



Join me as I test my wits against various AI programs in picking the 2026 Cup races.  Once they’ve made their picks, I’ll make my normal Favorite, Next Favorite, and Dark Horse picks (in addition to my regular O’Reilly & Truck Series picks).  At the end of the year we’ll see who knows more—me, or a soulless machine gobbling up water and electricity.


ChatGPT (5 wins) sez: A few reasons I like (Joey) Logano:

Team Penske has already won at Iowa, with Ryan Blaney taking the inaugural race in 2024.  Iowa is a 0.875-mile short track, which tends to reward drivers who excel at tire management and long-run speed.  Several analysts are predicting Logano to continue the momentum he has built during the second half of the season.


Truck Series (2 wins) off


O’Reilly Series (4 wins) HyVee Perks 250 Saturday 5pm ET on CW: JUSTIN ALLGAIER—local winner!


Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 3:30pm ET on USA  FAVORITE (1 win): RYAN BLANEY—heating up like he (almost) always does.  NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): KYLE LARSON—he DOES have to win at least once this year.  DARK HORSE (1 win): ALEX BOWMAN—the retirement tour starts today.



www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly


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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 Opens a 2026 Donruss Hobby Box of Cards—Pack 11 of 16

It’s back to a hobby back for the first official 2026 cards.  Join me as I go through all 16 packs of 8 cards each!


Pack 11: Butterbean, It Would Seem…, and Living the Dream


First Look: Nice autograph from Butterbean here, although I think he didn’t autograph his nickname (not even the quotation marks).


To the Back: It would seem that if the most a card can brag about you is two good finishes at a drafting track, maybe THAT’S why you can’t hold onto a ride.


Say What: “Thanks to this helmet, all the boos sound like cheers!”


Final Rating: 7 “through the field”s 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

www.moxoc.com

Foundational Bricks—The 1994 Brickyard 400: 31st, Jeremy Mayfield

Join me as I take a look back every Monday at the starting lineup for one of the biggest races in NASCAR history, the inaugural Brickyard 400. 


Starting 31st: Jeremy Mayfield #98 Fingerhut Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford


Finished: 26th


Mayfield's 1994 race car,
from Carolina Racing
Career Highlights: Five Cup Series race wins, nine Cup Series poles, three Cup Series championship top-ten points finishes, lets strangers use his safe.


Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 12


Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 4th (2004)





1994 Fun Fact: Jeremy race for three teams in 1994, only getting his ride in the 98 two races before Indy.  Its like coming back to school from being sick and having a huge exam in third period.



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