Spade Racing Opens 10 Value Packs of 2012 Press Pass Cards: 6 of 10

Here’s my latest haul—ten 8 card packs of 2012 Press Pass Cards.  So join me as I take a look back about 13 years ago with some cost-effective card packs

Pack 6 of 10: Snapshot, Running Hot, and Flowbee Bought

First Look: Yeah, I still don’t get the appeal of these “snapshot” cards (this was the only one I got this time).  What’s the point of getting a card that’s slightly smaller than the others?  And why Robby Gordon of all people?

To the Back: Max Papis had a great driving career, and since then has gone on to a lucrative time as an equipment maker.  But I’ll always remember him for his dramatic turn to the woman who slapped him after that one race.

Say What: “If my facial hair grows over 0.05mm long, I don’t know what I’ll do!”

Final Rating: 5 stage breaks out of 10

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Terry Labonte (part 2)

Texas Terry runs five races for Joe Gibbs Racing (2005) 

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).

Courtesy Motorsport/Sutton Images

Why? The late Jason Leffler got a second chance at Cup with the debuting 11 car in 2005, but disappointing results led to the team looking outside for a substitute driver.  That substitute wound up being 18 car driver Bobby Labonte’s brother Terry, who had just transitioned into a part-time schedule.

How successful were they? Hmm…somewhat? Terry brackets his stint with a 12th place at Sonoma and a 9th at Richmond (the team’s first top-ten of the year).  However, the three races in-between were all sub-25th place finishes.

What was the aftermath? The Ice Man would continue to race part-time, while the 11 would see JJ Yeley briefly occupy the car before Denny Hamlin took over near the end of the season.  And except for a few races missed due to injury, he hasn’t left it since.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 3 FedEx boxes out of 10—in retrospect this was the start of Terry Labonte’s “Have past-champion’s provisional, will travel” run.

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Spade Racing Opens 10 Value Packs of 2012 Press Pass Cards: 5 of 10

Here’s my latest haul—ten 8 card packs of 2012 Press Pass Cards.  So join me as I take a look back about 13 years ago with some cost-effective card packs

Pack 5 of 10: Vertigo, Jennifer Jo, and Sponsors? No

First Look: The design and placement on this card makes it look like it was upside down.  Then again, I’m in Delaware, so maybe its the decades of DuPont putting forever chemicals in the drinking water.

To the Back: Jennifer Jo Cobb never really got a decent shot in good equipment, but at least she made a decent account of herself in her own stuff.  No joke here, just an observation.

Say What: “You say the team’s about to shut down?  But why?  Oh, right, no sponsors.”

Final Rating: 3 commercials out of 10

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Terry Labonte (part 1)

Terry Labonte runs the #1 Skoal car for one season (1991)

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).

Courtesy History for Sale

Why? After a moderately-successful three year run with Junior Johnson, Terry Labonte made plans to start his own race team for 1990.  However, difficulties landing a sponsor, combined with issues building his race shop, led to Richard Jackson giving Texas Terry a ride in the Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile.

How successful were they? After a runner-up finish in the 1990 Daytona 500, it was a mostly-disappointing season, leaving them 15th in the points standings.

What was the aftermath? Labonte returned to his original team owner Billy Hagan for the next two years before revitalizing his career with Hendrick Motorsports.  The Jackson-owned 1 car remained an also-ran until it went under in 1998.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 2 tins of chaw out of 10—Terry had a surprisingly-varied career, running for multiple teams with varying levels of success, so wasn’t much of a surprise.

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What Xfinity Drivers are Doing with Their “Spring Break”

NOTE: Uncle Max’s pick for next weekend’s Truck Series Window World 250 is CHANDLER SMITH.

This is a parody

In a tribute to the old Truck Series scheduling scheme, the Nascar Xfinity Series is in the middle of an extended break.  Here’s what some of the series’ drivers are doing with their two week break:

JUSTIN ALLGAIER—visiting sponsor Brandt to meet with employees, tour the facilities, and see if there’s anything he can do to stop that one gigantic ear of corn from growing larger than the factory.

BRANDON JONES—considering which team he’ll be running for in 2026 (Haas Factory Team), 2027 (JR Motorsports again), and 2032 (Sam Hunt - Kaulig Racing with Our Motorsports powered by 23XI).

JEB BURTON—attending regular therapy sessions to learn how to avoid grimacing whenever anyone makes that inane “please clap” joke.

RYAN SIEG—going to Nascar headquarters in Daytona Beach to renew his status as The Official Underdog of Nascar.

CONNON ZILISCH—being 100 fr fr no cap something Ohio whatever I don’t know what kids do these days.

DEAN THOMPSON—appearing in low-budget college comedy “Super Senior Year” as Dean Dean Thompson, the crusty but lovable school president.

JOSH WILLIAMS—getting his mullet trimmed and preserved whilst ruminating on how he still has a full-time ride.

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

As we prepare to wrap up the Fox portion of the schedule (I don’t pick non-points races), I have to wonder how their coverage of Nascar has gotten so bad.  Then I realize that I don’t have to wonder at all—it’s the booth.

Mike Joy is ok, but the telecast could benefit from a fresh voice on play-by-play.  Kevin Harvick could be a decent analyst, but he always sounds like he’s just downed a fist full of sleeping pills.  Someone tell Happy that if you want to impress as a broadcaster, you probably don’t want to emulate Steven Wright.

And then there’s Clint.

Look, I get how they want The Next DW, but it’s just so forced.  He always comes off like that one popular kid who’s being forced to be nice in order to avoid punishment.  And there’s the whole, you know, manipulating a race outcome thing he was a part of years ago.  So why is he still there?  I guess to keep Kenny Wallace from bugging the producers about an open slot.

TRUCK SERIES (2 wins) Heart of Health Care 200 (Saturday 7:30 ET on FS1) COREY HEIM—Heim Time under the lights, two weeks in a row

XFINITY SERIES off 

CUP SERIES AdventHealth 400 (Sunday 3pm ET on FS1) Points Leader picks WILLIAM BYRON.  Favorite (2 wins): DENNY HAMLIN—the Toyotas are strong on the cookie-cutter tracks this year.  Next Favorite (1 win): TYLER REDDICK—thus continuing the weird North Carolina to Kansas connection outside of basketball.  Dark Horse: RYAN PREECE—pretty wild how far ahead Preece & Buescher are of BKes, huh?

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

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Spade Racing Opens 10 Value Packs of 2012 Press Pass Cards: 4 of 10

Here’s my latest haul—ten 8 card packs of 2012 Press Pass Cards.  So join me as I take a look back about 13 years ago with some cost-effective card packs

Pack 4 of 10: First Timers, History Primers, and Lovers of Lime-ers

First Look: 2011 was a great year for first-time winners—these four plus Trevor Bayne.  Although it makes me feel pretty damn old knowing that all four plus Bayne have all since retired.

To the Back: For anyone who forgot, Aric Almirola was running for JR Motorsports because he quit Joe Gibbs Racing when he was pulled from a race he was leading.

Say What: “What can I say, I really love green.”

Final Rating: 8 stickers out of 10

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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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Michael McDowell

Michael McDowell runs one race for a parked Kyle Busch at JGR (2011)

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).

Courtesy I Fantasy Racing

Why? Kyle Busch hooked and wrecked Ron Hornaday Jr. under caution in a 2011 Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.  NASCAR reacted swiftly, parking him for the weekend, leaving Joe Gibbs Racing with just a few hours to find a replacement.  They chose Michael McDowell, who was there that weekend to run for his regular HP Racing team as a start-and-park.

How successful were they? McDowell finished 33rd in that weekend’s Cup race.  Busch would come back the following week, putting McDowell back with HP for the rest of the season.

What was the aftermath? McDowell continued his career as a journeyman, eventually finding a home with Front Row Motorsports, winning two Cup races in the 34 car.  He moved on this year to Spire Motorsports.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 5 pissy post-race interviews by Rowdy out of 10—they needed somebody, and McDriver was there.

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

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The Hero Card Project 2025, Part 0 (The Big Mail Out)

It’s time for my annual big mailing for hero cards!  If you’re new to hero card collecting, check out my guide at herocardguide.com for step-by-step instructions on how to request hero cards, how to receive them, and how to store them.  I have SASEs (Self Addressed Stamped Envelopes) going out to every Cup, Xfinity and Truck team, as well as a few major ARCA operations as well.  Who’ll be the first to respond?  Who’ll send in the most cards?  Whose cards will be brand new?  And will any teams send in autographed cards?  Join me over the next few months as I find out!

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

Sorry but I gotta keep this quick—today is inventory day at work!  If you haven’t worked retail, think of it as spring cleaning and a high school final exam rolled into one.  And it’s always strange to see the inventory takers show up in their giant van—do they just live out of that thing?  Anyways, wish me luck!

TRUCK SERIES (1 win) SpeedyCash 250 (Friday 8pm ET on FS1) Corey Heim--Heim Time under the lights.

XFINITY SERIES Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (Saturday 2pm ET on The CW) AUSTIN HILL—back to back, and it doesn’t even have to be on a “drafting track”.

CUP SERIES Wurth 400 (Sunday 3:30pm ET on FS1) Points Leader picks WILLIAM BYRON.  Favorite (2 wins): KYLE LARSON—Hendrick ramps up the dominance on “cookie cutter” tracks.  Next Favorite (1 win): ALEX BOWMAN—no, Kyle Busch isn’t taking his job.  Dark Horse: TY GIBBS—I mean he’s still the best Ty in Cup, at least.

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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