Race Picks Texas: 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.

Perplexity Deep Thought AI (1 win) sez: “Recent odds and futures markets suggest a small group of drivers are viewed as strongest overall in 2026, including Tyler Reddick”

Truck Series (1 win) SpeedyCash 250 Friday 8pm ET on FS1: KADEN HONEYCUTT--turning into quite a wait for Dodge, huh?

O’Reilly Series (1 win) Andy’s Frozen Custard Saturday 3:30pm ET on CW: SAM MEYER—“340”?  Why?

Cup Series Wurth 400 Sunday 3:30pm on Fox  FAVORITE (1 win): CHRISTOPHER BELL—Toyota dominance continues unabated.  NEXT FAVORITE: KYLE LARSON—still “the greatest driver in the world”?  DARK HORSE (1 win): JOSH BERRY—a classic team wins at a not-so-classic track.

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

Spade Racing Opens 2 Blaster Boxes of 2025 Panini Prizm Cards—Pack 9 of 12

Rather than a “hobby box”, I decided to go with the more economical choice of two “Blaster Boxes” for the 2025 Panini Prizm cards (although they were bought in January 2026.  With six packs of five cards each in each box, that’s twelve packs to open!

Pack 9: Green, dream, and scream

First Look: The modern Interstate Batteries firesuit sure is “snot green”, isn’t it?  At least Ty has plenty of Cup wins to distract fro—oh, wait.

To the Back: Ok, but fans—slow your roll.  We don’t want a repeat of Kasey Kahne being called a disappointment for not winning a dozen races a year.

Say What: “If someone says ‘Life is unfairrrr’ to me ONCE MORE today I’m going to flip out!”

Final Rating: 4 spoilers 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: 17th, Ernie Irvan

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 17th: Ernie Irvan #28 Texaco Havoline Robert Yates Racing Ford

Finished: 17th

Irvan's car being unloaded
at the 1994 Brickyard 400

Career Highlights: 15 time Cup Series race winner, 1991 Daytona 500 winner, championship leader/contender in 1994 before his horrific crash, don’t ask him to dance.

Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 5

Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 2nd (1996)

"Just how good our car was, the race with Jeff Gordon in the
closing laps, having the lead with less than 5 laps to go, and
cutting that RF (Right Front) tire down... still haunts me today!"
--Larry McReynolds (Ernie Irvan's crew chief)

Cards signed by Ernie Irvan

1994 Fun Fact: Despite missing the final eleven races due to his near-death practice crash at Michigan, Ernie still finished 22nd in points in 1994.  For context, he finished ahead of a future Hall-of-Famer (Harry Gant), a future championship contender (Jeff Burton), and a future professional tv whiner (Jimmy Spencer).

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