Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Clint Bowyer

Clint Bowyer spends a year-long layover at HScott Motorsports (2016)

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).

Why? Leaving a collapsing Michael Waltrip Racing, Clint Bowyer was able to sign on as the new driver of the Stewart-Haas Racing #14 for 2017, taking over for a retiring Tony Stewart.  Problem was that Bowyer’s MWR ride was shutting down after the 2015 season.  Needing a stop-gap solution, Bowyer took his car number (15) and sponsors to HScott Motorsports for 2016.

How successful were they? It was a year of struggle for everyone involved, as Bowyer plummeted from 16th in points to 27th in ill-handling cars.  Things got ugly after the season as Bowyer sued the team for money owed to him, although it was quickly settled out of court.

What was the aftermath? The HScott team shut down shortly afterwards, ending its long history dating back to James Finch’s entry to the Cup Series in 1990.  Upon arriving at SHR, Bowyer would post two more Cup race wins, but would retire young to move into broadcasting full-time.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 10 manipulated races out of 10—even taking into account the decline of MWR, this was a star driver going to race for one of the sport’s WORST TEAMS for an entire season. 

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

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Nascar, Race Teams File Motions Over Temperature of Court Room

This is a parody

In yet another skirmish in the ongoing legal battle between teams 23XI Racing & Front Row Motorsports and Nascar, dueling motions were filed on Friday arguing about the temperature of the court room for the anticipated opening arguments.

“We would like to file a motion demanding that the temperature of the courtroom be between 72 and 75°”, said the lawyers for 23XI & FRM. “ this ambient temperature is required in order for us to pursue our lawsuit against the sanctioning body.”

However, shortly afterwards Nascar filed a rebuttal against the request. 

“We categorically and unequivocally cannot agree to the teams’ request”, said Nascar’s legal representatives in the filing. “ there is no way that this case could proceed unless the ambient temperature of the courtroom is between 66 and 70°.  Asking for the room to be more than 70° temperature is laughable and shows the teams’ disregard for the sport of stock car racing.”

In a press release, 23XI refuted Nascar’s request, stating that it proves just how out of touch the sport’s leadership has become. 

“All we’re asking for is a reasonably comfortable room in which to state our case”, the statement read. “With the current state of the economy, not to mention environmental concerns we feel that it would be irresponsible to have a room because as low as 66°, especially consider considering that we anticipate being there over the summer.”

Nascar has yet to respond to the response to the response.

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

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

Uncle Max’s 2025 Major League Baseball Predictions:

AL DIVISION WINNERS: Orioles, Guardians, Mariners

AL WILD CARD WINNERS: Yankees, Tigers, Astros

NL DIVISION WINNERS: Braves, Brewers, Dodgers

NL WILD CARD WINNERS: Phillies, Padres, Diamondbacks

ALCS: Guardians 4 - Orioles 1

NLCS: Dodgers 4 - Phillies 2

WORLD SERIES: Dodgers 4 - Guardians 0

TRUCK SERIES (1 win) Boys & Girls Club 200 (Friday 7:30pm ET on FS1) COREY HEIM—Heim Time is back on FS1 (unless the scheduled Fox broadcast had technical difficulties.

XFINITY SERIES Marine Corps 250 (Saturday 5pm ET on The CW) JUSTIN ALLGAIER—Little Gator is getting on a roll.

CUP SERIES Cook Out 400 (Sunday 3pm ET on FS1) Points Leader picks WILLIAM BYRON.  Favorite (1 win): DENNY HAMLIN—time for Denny to get in the Flo (sorry).  Next Favorite: RYAN BLANEY—bounce back weekend.  Dark Horse: ERIK JONES—another grandfather clock for Richard Petty (well, kinda).

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

www.facebook.com/spaderacing

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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 Blaster Box of 2024 Panini PRIZM Cards—5 of 6

I’m changing things up a bit for 2024, as instead of “hobby boxes”, I will be exploring the world of “blaster boxes” for NASCAR trading cards.

Pack 5 of 6: A MISSING CARD?  A MISSING CARD?!?

First Look: So I only got four cards in this pack.  Nice going, Panini.

To the Back: This team hasn’t done all that much, but they DO have a win, so there’s that.

Say What: “Hi.  I’m in Delaware… Life’s firesuit.”

Final Rating: 0 lug nuts 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

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A MOXOC Media production

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Kyle Petty

Kyle Petty fills his schedule with Hoss Ellington (1982)

Courtesy Essentially Sports

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).

Why? Kyle Petty started his career running the 42 car for his family team, Petty Enterprises.  However, the team didn’t seem up for running two cars (the 42 and 43) full-time.  As a result, Kyle would moonlight for six races in the 1982 season in Hoss Ellington’s #1 car.

How successful were they? A disappointing year for Kyle didn’t get any better in a different car, as he failed to crack the top-ten for Ellington.

What was the aftermath? Kyle would return to Petty Enterprises full-time for two more years before setting off on his own for several different teams.  Ellington, meanwhile, continued to field a part-time entry for several drivers through 1989.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 1 UNO-sponsored car out of 10—it was probably stranger when Kyle returned to Petty Enterprises running the #7 Ford.

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

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A MOXOC Media production

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Nascar-afying Monday Night Football

It was recently announced that longtime Nascar on Fox director Artie Kempner will be moving to ESPN to direct Monday Night Football.  Given Fox’s Nascar coverage, here’s what we can expect:

—An extremely irritating bumpkin color commentator, otherwise best-known for being involved in a cheating scandal.

—Making a big deal about going “through the field”, focusing on the effects the game is having on each yard-line.

—“Crank It Up”, an annoucerless segment where viewers can bask in the cheering of the fans (well, not at Cleveland Browns games of course).

—Zip-line camera shots to get really, really close-up zooms of a head coach covering his mouth with a play-calling card.

—Constant promotion of competing leagues despite having disparate fan bases.

—Fair and balanced coverage of each team, unless Rick Hendrick becomes an owner.

—And, of course, what Nascar on Fox is best-known for: missing on-field action for commercials!

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

www.facebook.com/spaderacing

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

Uncle Max’s Men’s March Madness Predictions:

BIGGEST FIRST ROUND UPSETS: 11 12 Colorado St over 5 Memphis, 12 McNeese St. over 5 Clemson, 14 UNC-Wilmington over 3 Texas Tech, 15 Wofford over 2 Tennessee.

BIGGEST SWEET SIXTEEN SURPRISES: 5 Michigan (why is everyone picking them to lose in the first round?), 12 Colorado St, 11 VCU, 10 New Mexico

FINAL FOUR: 1 Auburn, 1 Florida, 2 Alabama, 1 Houston

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Auburn 73-Alabama 70

TRUCK SERIES (1 win) Baptist Health 200 (Friday 8pm ET on Fox) ROSS CHASTAIN—I guess competition with March Madness means getting your 3rd-best series on primetime network television.

XFINITY SERIES Hard Rock Bet 300 (Saturday 4pm ET on The CW) KYLE LARSON—its not an upset—more like when a 1 seed pulverizes a school like Northeastern Southwestern.

CUP SERIES Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Sunday 3pm ET on FS1) Points Leader picks WILLIAM BYRON.  Favorite (1 win): CHRISTOPHER BELL—I mean three for five (or three in four) is still pretty damn impressive.  Next Favorite: JOEY LOGANO—it’s a good sign for your career that being winless five races in is surprising.  Dark Horse: BRAD KESELOWSKI—two words: fuel mileage.

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 Opens a Blaster Box of 2024 Panini PRIZM Cards—4 of 6

I’m changing things up a bit for 2024, as instead of “hobby boxes”, I will be exploring the world of “blaster boxes” for NASCAR trading cards.

Pack 4 of 6: All-Star, a Funk Car, and Real by Far

First Look: I always liked minimalist trophies like this one—just some lucite and a small logo.  Then again, I could see something like this winding up as a paperweight in a race team’s accountant’s office.

To the Back: Because when you think of “Funk”, you think of an “iRacing enthusiast”.

Say What: “FOR THE LAST TIME, YES THAT’S MY REAL, LEGAL NAME!”

Final Rating: 5 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

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Morgan Shepherd

Morgan Shepherd’s two races with RCR in the 31 car (1998)

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).

Why? Midway through his lengthy career, Morgan Shepherd found himself without a regular ride for the 1998 season.  Shepherd ran for SIX different Cup teams, but his best results came in a two-race injury substitution role for Richard Childress Racing.

How successful were they? In place of an ailing Mike Skinner, Morgan showed that he still had the chance to put together solid runs in good equipment.  Shepherd finished eleventh at Martinsville, then qualified fifth at Talladega before being caught up in the “big one”.

What was the aftermath? Shepherd returned to being a “super-sub” for the rest of the year, then transitioned to an owner/driver role with his own team, Shepherd Racing Ventures, running in the Busch Series as late as 2019.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 3 “Woods Brothers” out of 10—this was a straightforward injury replacement move, even if Morgan Shepherd might not have been most fans’ first choice.

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