Join us (well, me) as we/I go through a box of super-exclusive 2021 Panini Chronicles Nascar Cards, pack-by-pack, week-by-week.
Pack 3—Taylor Gray, a new Bubba day, and Suarez at play
RATING: 7 stage points out of 10
a MOXOC Media Production
Spade Racing Opens a Box of 2021 Panini Chronicles Nascar Cards, Pack 3 of 6
52 Pickup Race Car Looks “Sneaky Fast” at Track
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Boogertown, North Carolina)
You might not know it by looking at it standing still, but the #52 Monday Cigarettes race car fielded by 52 Pickup Racing is quite fast at the track. One might even say that its “Sneaky Fast”, especially since it doesn’t always seem too fast when watching it race.
“Its really hard to tell, at least for the uneducated outsider”, said T.B. Dee, driver of the “Sneaky Fast” race car. “But when you’re sitting in it, you really feel how fast it really is. From the loud roar of the engine to the wind you feel when other race cars whip by you, it really is Sneaky in its Fastness.”
Team ownership agrees with Dee on his assessment of the car this season.
“I didn’t think it was that fast the first time I saw it”, said Earl Pruess, one of the fifty-two co-owners of the Sneakily Fast race car. “But then I went to the track and saw it screaming around the track. I mean, it still looked kinda slow compared to the other race cars that day, but I can see where I wouldn’t know exactly how fast it was—the thing doesn’t even have a speedometer in it.”
Dee said the team hopes to show any prospective sponsors just how Sneaky Fast the car can be.
“We’d love to take some future partners out on the race track”, Dee said. “Unfortunately there’s no passenger seat in the car. But feel free to climb in and hold on—we’ll be going at least ten miles an hour faster than you’d usually do in your daily driver out on the interstate.”
QUOTES: “Sneaky Fast is the best kind of fast—your competition doesn’t know what you’ve got!” —T.B. Dee, driver of the 52 Pickup Racing Monday Cigarettes race car.
“T.B.’s right about that—all the other team owner’s I’ve met have mistaken our race car for the pace car.” —Earl Pruess, co-owner of 52 Pickup Racing.
ABOUT 52 PICKUP RACING: 52 Pickup Racing is NASCAR Cup’s newest race team. Based out of Boogertown North Carolina, the team employs up-and-coming driver T.B. Dee and was voted “Shiniest Hauler in the Infield” by its contemporaries.
For more information please visit the 52 Pickup Racing website at www.52pickupracing.com
For all media inquiries please contact Moxoc Media at moxoc(at)moxoc.com
Spade Racing Presents The Sophomores: LATE-AUGUST RANKINGS
PROGRAMMING NOTE: I’m on assignment covering a race this weekend, so here’s the sophomore rankings a week earlier than usual.
Last year Spade Racing took a look at the six drivers competing for Rookie of the Year. This year we continue to look at that vaunted class (sans John Hunter Nemechek and Brennan Poole) as they strive to establish themselves while avoiding the “sophomore slump”. Returning for 2021 is the PRETTY grade: Performance Relative to Equating Team’s Typical Year (its pretty much how well each driver is doing considering their equipment). Here’s how things look coming out of the summer break heading into Daytona:
1. (tie) Tyler Reddick (Richard Childress Racing). Best finish: 2nd (Homestead). PRETTY grade: A-. Tyler Reddick continues to impress—he’s reached the point where a 21st-place finish (at the Indy road course) is a disappointment and not a “good points day”. Here’s hoping he can make the Playoffs so we can avoid referring to the final ten weeks as “one big test session”.
1. (tie) Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing). Best finish: 1st (Daytona Road Course). PRETTY grade: A-. Considering how JGR hasn’t exactly been overpowering this year, AND Bell’s strong run as of late (sans Indy road course), its too close to call between him and Reddick. Still, I listed Reddick first because, well, he was first before…and I don’t feel like copy-pasting.
3. Cole Custer (Stewart Haas Racing). Best finish: 10th (Talladega/Dover). PRETTY grade: C-. Cole sits 28th in points—bad for anyone, but especially bad for someone racing for what is ostensibly a top-level team. I’d say his ride is in danger, but last I checked his dad still runs SHR.
4. Quin Houff (StarCom Racing). Best finish: 22nd (Indy Road Course). PRETTY grade: D-. We nearly had a breakthrough at Indy, with Quin poking around the top-twenty before finishing 22nd. Still, its better than somehow being two laps down at the start of the race.
Spade Racing presents Uncle Max vs. Repeat Winners: Daytona
Here’s my annual Do’s an Don’ts of Fantasy Football Drafts:
DO come prepared—nobody likes someone who wastes everyone’s time with a vague description of a player they want (“You know, the guy with the thing from the school!”).
DON’T be a know-it-all—we get it, you know your football. That’s no reason to deliver a “fun fact” about every single player selected.
DO know your league—if you have two QB’s, take one early. If its points-per-reception heavy, pick possession receivers. If there’s one guy who’s an obsessive fan of a certain team, pick their defense and trade it for a bundle.
DON’T outsmart yourself—you’re smarter than you think you are. Remember—the obvious choice is often obvious for a good reason—that player is GOOD.
DO get the WiFi password early—unless you have everything written down ahead of time, nobody wants to wait for your online preview to load on 3G.
DON’T get drunk or high—its great to be around friends again, but you don’t want to wake up the next day and stare at a team with ten tight-ends.
TRUCK SERIES (4 wins): off
Friday Night XFINITY SERIES Wawa 250 (1 win): AJ Allmendinger—The Dinger stays on a roll.
Saturday Night CUP SERIES Coke Zero 400. Repeat winner (3 wins)—Ryan Blaney. FAVORITE (2 wins): Austin Dillon—racing his way into the Playoffs. NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): Denny Hamlin—heck of a way to get on a roll for the Playoffs. DARK HORSE (3 wins): Bubba Wallace—followed by claims of “fix! fix!” by morons.
Spade Racing Opens a Box of 2021 Panini Chronicles Nascar Cards, Pack 2 of 6
Join us (well, me) as we/I go through a box of super-exclusive 2021 Panini Chronicles Nascar Cards, pack-by-pack, week-by-week.
RATING: 6 Past Champions’ Provisionals out of 10
52 Pickup Racing to Run Special Paint Scheme for Harold Stassen Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Boogertown, North Carolina)
Though an apolitical organization, 52 Pickup Racing is always looking for valued partners regardless of political affiliation. That’s why they were honored to partner with the Harold Stassen Presidential Candidate Library on a special paint scheme for the next upcoming race.
“Harold Stassen is far more than just a fourteen-time Presidential candidate—he’s an inspiration”, said Hal Haid, one of the fifty-two co-owners of 52 Pickup Racing and a board member of the Library. “Stassen showed me that no matter how many times you fail, just keep trying, refusing to change your plans, adopt new strategies, or give up in the face of overwhelming apathy. That’s a lot like racing.”
“I didn’t know much about Mr. Stassen, but I’ve done some reading on his and he’s a pretty interesting fellow”, said T.B. Dee, due to drive the car in the upcoming race. “I mean, he’s a former governor, a founder of the UN, and tried to get Penn to return to big-time football. Talk about a real renaissance man—he was way more than a punchline on a crummy episode of The Simpsons.”
Team officials were quick to point out that, officially, the team still has no political position.
“We are a non-partisan race team here at 52 Pickup Racing”, said Haid. “Although if you DO want to advertise your campaign, we can offer you some very attractive packages. Everything from school board selectment to dog-catcher.”
QUOTES: “Stassen ran for governor twice in Pennsylvania. There—that’s something you know now.” —T.B. Dee, driver of the 52 Pickup Racing Monday Cigarettes race car.
“Harold Stassen was the premiere perennial candidate of the nation, excluding Henry Clay, Eugene Debs, and possibly Lyndon LaRouche.” —Hal Haid, co-owner of 52 Pickup Racing.
ABOUT 52 PICKUP RACING: 52 Pickup Racing is NASCAR Cup’s newest race team. Based out of Boogertown North Carolina, the team employs up-and-coming driver T.B. Dee and would like to remind the town of Boogertown that they had an appointment to have their race shop inspected on Tuesday at 9am, but nobody showed up again.
For more information please visit the 52 Pickup Racing website at www.52pickupracing.com
For all media inquiries please contact Moxoc Media at moxoc(at)moxoc.com
For Hero Card Requests, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the address below:
52 Pickup Racing
Attn: Hero Card Request
3911 Concord Pike
PO Box 7795
Wilmington DE 19803
Josh Berry: The Spade Racing Profile
One of the biggest breakthrough stars of the 2021 Nascar racing season has been Josh Berry, who was announced earlier this week as the full-time driver of a coveted JR Motorsports ride in 2022. As Josh prepares to make his second-ever Cup start today, let’s take a look at this local driver turned Nascar prospect:
—Josh was born on October 20 (1990), sharing a birthday with Margaret Dumont, Mickey Mantle, and Tom Petty. Huh, that’s strange—I mentioned Mantle and Bob Costas and Billy Crystal are nowhere to be seen.
—Josh worked as a bank teller early in his racing career to supplement his income. To anyone reading this under the age of 25, people used to have to go into banks to make deposits or withdraw money, and the tellers would handle those transactions.
—Berry met future team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. through online racing sim iRacing. Meanwhile the only people I ever met in racing online were weirdos claiming to be Jeff Burton.
—Josh started out in Nascar’s national touring series by running a few races here and there in Xfinity and Truck competition, mostly for JRM. I mean, yes, he ran for Obaika Racing, but the less said about that team, the better.
—Berry had an auspicious start to his 2021 season—with twelve races scheduled for JRM, he was spun around by Human Caution Flag Santino Ferrucci at Phoenix. Berry gave Ferrucci the double-middle-finger, thus gaining him a fanbase in Formula-style racing as well.
—Josh’s biggest success thus far came at Martinsville, posting his first-ever Xfinity Series win. He joined Brett Bodine as the other other driver to do so, and hey, Brett wound up leading lots of Cup races! Granted, they were as a pace car driver, but…
Spade Racing presents Uncle Max vs. Repeat Winners: Michigan/Gateway
Ah, remote training—is there anything quite like it? Usually that means going to headquarters for a few days to hear someone drone on about new products, but thanks to COVID we are quite literally doing REMOTE training. So instead of the luxury of a two-star hotel, I’ll be catching up on the latest product info via Zoom from the comfort of my workplace break room.
Now, if all goes according to plan, the next two weeks will feature my dual football previews—fantasy football do’s and don’ts, and real football prognostications for 2021. So stay tuned!
Friday Night TRUCK SERIES Toyota 200 (3 wins): Sheldon Creed—two years in a row.
Saturday Late Afternoon XFINITY SERIES Pennzoil 150 (1 win): Harrison Burton—even though he’s leaving for Pensk—er, the Wood Brothers next year.
Sunday CUP SERIES FireKeepers Casino 400. Repeat winner (2 wins)—Ryan Blaney (since Dinger isn’t running this week. FAVORITE (2 wins): Joey Logano—if Roger Penske can’t win Indianapolis, Michigan is a nice consolation prize. NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): Kevin Harvick—breakthrough win to gear up for the Playoffs. DARK HORSE (3 wins): William Byron—Chevy’s have been looking good on high-speed tracks this year.
Spade Racing Opens a Box of 2021 Panini Chronicles Nascar Cards, Pack 1 of 6
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| The sealed box |
Join us (well, me) as we/I go through a box of super-exclusive 2021 Panini Chronicles Nascar Cards, pack-by-pack, week-by-week.
Pack 1—Larson’s sig, Berry’s big, and a card number fig
RATING: 5 missing lug nuts out of 10 (would’ve been an 8 but 3 lugs were deducted for the missing card).
52 Pickup Racing Posts REALLY Deceptively Good Weekend
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Boogertown, North Carolina)
While last weekend’s race results—a last-place finish several dozen laps down—may have looked back, driver T.B. Dee and the 52 Pickup Racing team’s crew knew it was a deceptively good weekend. A REALLY deceptively good weekend.
“I know it looked bad, but below the surface, it was quite a good run”, Dee said upon returning to the team’s race shop in Boogertown, North Carolina. “You have to know what to look for, then look closely—really REALLY closely—and you’ll see it was one of our best results yet.”
“Sure it doesn’t look all that great from the outside looking in, but on the inside we see what as success last weekend really was”, said Joe Willis, one of the fifty-two co-owners of the team. “Those who criticize us really can’t see the trees from the forest.”
“Racing—its a lot like jazz”, said Dee. “so even though we finished 44 laps down, it was the laps we DIDN’T run that really made the difference.”
The team plans to build on the seemingly disastrous (but actually stupendous) race weekend by going out next weekend and “doing the things that don’t show up in the box score”.
QUOTES: “If you didn’t know any better, you’d think this year has been a disaster. But if you DID know better, you’d be working for us!” —T.B. Dee, driver of the 52 Pickup Racing Monday Cigarettes race car.
“That’s right, T.B.! And if you would like to work for us, send us your resume, we could use the help.” —Joe Willis, co-owner of 52 Pickup Racing.
ABOUT 52 PICKUP RACING: 52 Pickup Racing is NASCAR Cup’s newest race team. Based out of Boogertown North Carolina, the team employs up-and-coming driver T.B. Dee and a number of other skilled part-time crew members who are more than happy to be paid in pennies.
For more information please visit the 52 Pickup Racing website at www.52pickupracing.com
For all media inquiries please contact Moxoc Media at moxoc(at)moxoc.com
The Hero Card Project: Part 4
Nascar’s unique in that there’s a pretty cool way to get a (relatively) free souvenir from virtually every team—the hero card. For the uninitiated, Hero Cards are large, well, cards printed on, well, card stock, containing driver, car, and team information. Big and glossy, they work great for autographs, or just to collect.
Now normally I can get a good selection of Hero Cards from team race shops or at the track in the garage. But with the whole pandemic going on, that’s a no-go. So instead I’m mailing out a slew of Self-Addressed-Stamped-Envelopes (SASE’s) to every major and minor race team in the three national touring series.
Who’ll be the first to respond? Who’ll have the best Hero Cards? Who’ll send the most? Will anyone still have outdated 2020 info? And will anyone slip in a few goodies or even an autograph? SEE BELOW!
So here’s what I’ve gotten from June 20th through August 7th. Some good stuff pictured in order of when they arrived. Bonus points to those who included autographs!
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| Nice selection from Young's Motorsports |
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| A few cards from BJ "Chief?" McLeod |
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| If it says "Kroger", its gonna be JTG-D |
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| Two of each card from ARCA team Empire Racing |
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| A second batch of cards from SHR included one new one |
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| A nice mix of cards from Team Penske |
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| MY card from OUR Motorsports |
Spade Racing presents Uncle Max vs. Repeat Winners: Indy Road Course
Indianapolis—its a pretty historic track. I’ve never been there but I’d love to go. Just think of all the great superstars who’ve won there: Earnhardt, Gordon, Busch…and I think some open wheel races have been held there too! (I kid, I kid).
Speaking of historic, my primary fantasy football league is set for its historic 20th season this year! I just got confirmation on our 8th entrant so everything is a go. Neither rain nor snow nor job relocations nor marriage nor divorce can keep us from arguing over a trade for a third-string running back.
TRUCK SERIES (3 wins): off
Saturday Late Afternoon XFINITY SERIES Pennzoil 150 (1 win): AJ Allmendinger—too hard to pick against him here.
Sunday CUP SERIES Verizon 200. Repeat winner (2 wins)—Kyle Larson. FAVORITE (2 wins): Chase Elliott—yeah, yeah I know, but its a solid pick. NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): Kurt Busch—easiest way to get a ride for next year? Win. DARK HORSE (3 wins): Christopher Bell—and he won’t have to call ANYBODY.
Spade Racing Opens Six “Fat Packs” of 2021 Donruss Nascar Cards, 6 of 6
Join us (well, me) as we/I continue going through 2021 Donruss Nascar Cards with six “Fat Packs”.
Fat Pack 6—Tire Show, Kurt’s Aero, and a Face You Know
FIRST LOOKS: Alriiiiight! Just when I thought I wouldn’t be getting any special inserts in the “Fat Packs”, here’s a piece of a Ty Dillon tire! Compare to his brother’s card, which shows a distinct lack of tire. Come on, Austin—make with the rubber remnants!
RATING: 8 trophies out of 10
52 Pickup Racing Accumulates Most Free Passes Last Weekend
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Boogertown, North Carolina)
Adding to its growing list of plaudits in the 2021 NASCAR Cup season, 52 Pickup Racing and its driver T.B. Dee led all drivers last weekend in the number of free passes accumulated.
“Well, it really came down to two things: First of all, the team really showed what it was made up last weekend”, said driver T.B. Dee after the successful effort. “The adjustments on the Monday Cigarettes race car were always working just right, and the pit crew got us back on track every time. Second, we kept going a lap or more down when no one else was. But you gotta lose places to get places, right?”
“Improvements like these are what prospective sponsors want to see”, said Bill Crouch, one of the fifty-two co-owners of 52 Pickup Racing. “Just imagine it, reader who happens to run marketing for a major firm—your name attached to T.B. Dee, the driver who did the most to fight back onto the lead lap by being a lap down at the right time every time. You can’t buy publicity like that, but you CAN rent it with us.”
Dee was laudatory towards NASCAR Cup’s newest team’s accomplishments this year.
“Whether its most free passes in a race, getting the hauler to the track first, or having the cleanest pit stall, we’ve been making our mark on the sport”, Dee said. “And sure, the sport might be making its mark on our cars, but hey—cars look cooler with a little ‘battle damage’ on them, don’t they?”
“We’re planning to hang a banner up in our race shop to honor everyone’s part in this achievement”, co-owner Crouch said. “So if anyone knows a good sign maker who owns a sturdy ladder, give us a call.”
QUOTES: “Being able to pass a Kevin Harvick or a Kyle Busch, even if its just to get back on the lead lap under caution, that’s a dream come true. Much better than my usual dreams about being stranded at a county fair with a huge lollypop.” —T.B. Dee, driver of the 52 Pickup Racing Monday Cigarettes race car.
“52 Pickup Racing is seriously (helping) NASCAR’s credibility as a major sport. It will take years for NASCAR to (repay) the (credit) they’ve done to them.” —Craig Lewis, Racing Today Newsletter.
ABOUT 52 PICKUP RACING: 52 Pickup Racing is NASCAR Cup’s newest race team. Based out of Boogertown North Carolina, the team employs up-and-coming driver T.B. Dee and takes sponsorship payments in cash, check, money order, or barter.
For more information please visit the 52 Pickup Racing website at www.52pickupracing.com
For all media inquiries please contact Moxoc Media at moxoc(at)moxoc.com
Spade Racing Presents The Sophomores: AUGUST RANKINGS
Last year Spade Racing took a look at the six drivers competing for Rookie of the Year. This year we continue to look at that vaunted class (sans John Hunter Nemechek and Brennan Poole) as they strive to establish themselves while avoiding the “sophomore slump”. Returning for 2021 is the PRETTY grade: Performance Relative to Equating Team’s Typical Year (its pretty much how well each driver is doing considering their equipment). Here’s how things look coming out of the summer break heading into Watkins Glen:
1. Tyler Reddick (Richard Childress Racing). Best finish: 2nd (Homestead). PRETTY grade: A. Things keep going great for Reddick, who’s inched ahead of his teammate Austin Dillon in the points. Now he just needs a Cup win, a Playoff berth, and respect should follow. Especially if he stays away from tacky cowboy hats on pit road.
2. Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing). Best finish: 1st (Daytona Road Course). PRETTY grade: B+. A pair of runner-up finishes at Road America and New Hampshire (“second comes right after first!”) have C.Bell in good shape with the Playoffs just over the horizon. But don’t stare at it too closely, Christopher, unless you have protective eyewear.
3. Cole Custer (Stewart Haas Racing). Best finish: 10th (Talladega/Dover). PRETTY grade: C. Cole’s still way down in the points, but its been a rough year all-around—SHR finally posted its first win of the year at New Hampshire. Apparently all it takes for Aric Almirola to win is for me to needle him in this column every month.
4. Quin Houff (StarCom Racing). Best finish: 24th (Martinsville). PRETTY grade: D-. No clue what it would take for Quin to break through with a top-twenty race finish, but it probably involves a lucky horseshoe, a blue moon, and something from Derrike Cope’s old mustache.
Spade Racing presents Uncle Max vs. Repeat Winners: Watkins Glen
Annnnnd we’re back! Two weeks of no picks allowed me to recharge my batteries a bit, as well as doing some much-needed cleaning of the old townhouse on my Sundays off. You really don’t realize just how many pairs of work gloves you have until you clean your house, car, and work locker all in the same week.
You’ll notice that I’m going a little “off the board” in the Cup Series picks this weekend—that’s because its the time of the season that I need to “turn up the wick”! Its “down to brass tacks” and “where we separate the men from the boys”, because if I don’t turn my picking around I might be “up a creek without a rent check”.
Saturday Early Afternoon TRUCK SERIES United Rentals 176 (3 wins): Todd Gilliland—expect plenty of drama (both real and manufactured) in the last race before the Playoffs.
Saturday Late Afternoon XFINITY SERIES Skrewball 200 (1 win): Austin Dillon—ironic that a race airing on CNBC wouldn’t have a sponsor way in advance. Wait, no, I guess it isn't.
Sunday CUP SERIES Go Bowling at the Glen. Repeat winner (2 wins)—Aric Almirola. FAVORITE (2 wins): Michael McDowell—that’s right—the favorite is McDriver. NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): Kyle Busch—I mean, I’m not going TOO far out on a limb. DARK HORSE (3 wins): Daniel Suarez—OR AM I?!?
Spade Racing Opens Six “Fat Packs” of 2021 Donruss Nascar Cards, 5 of 6
Join us (well, me) as we/I continue going through 2021 Donruss Nascar Cards with six “Fat Packs”.
Fat Pack 5—Confusion, Info Fusion, and Illusion
FIRST LOOKS: Here we see a cool shot of Kevin Harvick’s car on the start-finish line at Dover—but the “halo” effect around the car, combined with its odd angle (during a burnout) makes it look like the world’s worst photoshop job. Oh well, at least we can see the smile behind Kaz Grala’s mask. But is it pronounced Grala, or Grala?
RATING: 6 hero cards out of 10