Race Picks Michigan: 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.

Meta AI (1 win) sez: If you’re looking for a betting angle, (Denny) Hamlin is the obvious pick given his recent form and track record, but Michigan often produces surprise winners due to tire wear and strategy. 

Truck Series (1 win) DSQ Staffing 250 Saturday 5pm ET on FS1: COREY HEIM—a good way to celebrate going full-time next year.

O’Reilly Series (2 wins) off

Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 Sunday 3pm on Prime  FAVORITE (1 win): RYAN BLANEY—home track for Team Penske.  NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): KYLE LARSON—home track for Chevy?  DARK HORSE (1 win): BRAD KESELOWSKI—home track for Brad (and that convertible in the commercials).

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 a 2026 Donruss Hobby Box of Cards—Pack 1 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 1: “Indy” Winner, Independent, and Indirectly Responsible

First Look: Here’s our first look at the 2026 base card design, and we see Austin Cindric looking like he won the Indy 500.  Of course this is from his win at Talladega—if it was Indy, there’d be people arguing about 1996 in the background.

To the Back: Alan Kulwicki does have a pretty impressive life story, but this description here is pretty vague.  Why don’t they just say “he was a hard charger” or “he wanted to win every race he entered”?

Say What: “Wooooo!  Blame me all you want for the Chase, but I still got a championship!”

Final Rating: 5 qualifying laps 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: 22nd, Wally Dallenbach Jr.

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 22nd: Wally Dallenbach Jr. #43 STP Petty Enterprises Pontiac

Finished: 23rd

Team owner Richard Petty
takes his car around the track
during a test leading up to
the Brickyard 400

Career Highlights: Five-time IndyCar race winner, 1973 California 500 winner, CART Series chief steward,—oh, wait, that was all his dad.

Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 6

Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 14th (1999)

"Being a part of history especially being at
that track so many years watching my Dad"
--Wally Dallenbach Jr.

1994 Fun Fact: Wally DNQ’d six times in 1994, then was released from the Petty Enterprises team right after Watkins Glen.  Oh well—all in the process of winding up driving a car with The Powerpuff Girls on the hood.

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