Spade Racing: 2025

Spade Racing Opens Two Blaster Boxes of 2025 Select Cards—Pack 5 of 12

Rather than a “hobby box”, I decided to go with the more economical choice of two “Blaster Boxes” for the 2025 Select cards. With six packs of five cards each in each box, that’s twelve packs to open!

Pack 5: Seven-Time, Killin’ Time, and Back in Time

First Look: Its nice to see a card of Jimmie Johnson, but maybe they could’ve found a more evocative picture of him. This one looks like he’s trying to decide between a hamburger and a hot dog for lunch.

To the Back: “Crossroads with the Burtons” sounds like one of those shows I’d randomly find playing on an obscure tv station around 3:10pm on a day off.

Say What: “Its great to be back—say, does JGR still take wins away due to ‘sponsor commitments’?”

Final Rating: 4 extra seconds on a pit stop out of 10

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Sterling Marlin

Between legends—Sterling Marlin’s year in the Stavola Brothers’ #8 (1993)

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 Racing Forums

Why? Early in his career Sterling Marlin was notorious for being a “bridesmaid”—posting numerous top-five finishes without securing a race win. After two years at Junior Johnson’s team didn’t produce the long-awaited victory, he left to race for superspeedway specialists the Stavola Brothers for 1993.

How successful were they? While Marlin was definitely a step-up in the caliber of driver the Stavola Brothers would hire in the 1990’s, the equipment looked to be a step-down for Marlin. The combo finished fifteenth in points, punctuated by two runner-up finishes at superspeedway races.

What was the aftermath? Both driver and team went in opposite directions. Sterling left for Morgan-McClure Motorsports, breaking through in his very first race with them, winning the 1994 Daytona 500. The Marlin-MMM combination was a constant threat to win at Daytona and Talladega and finished as high as third in the points standings. The Stavola Brothers team, however, was unable to return to its successful runs in the 1980’s, and would peter out in 1998.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 2 Sterling impressions by Steve Byrnes out of 10—this was most-likely an attempt by Sterling to get out of Junior Johnson’s “second car”, and this was the best ride available at the time.

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Ernie Irvan

Ernie Irvan leaves Robert Yates to run the 36 Pontiac (1998-99)

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 the Tennessean

Why? After a comeback from his near-fatal head injuries, Ernie Irvan posted three wins in two years back in the Robert Yates Racing 28 car. However, issues with Yates over licensing royalties, combined with sponsor Texaco’s growing dissatisfaction with Irvan’s behavior, led Irvan to leave for the recently-created MB2 Motorsports car for 1998.

How successful were they? After a disappointing first season with Derrike Cope, Irvan took the 36 car to a number of top-tens in 1998 before injuries kept him out of the final three races. More solid finishes followed in 1999, until another serious crash (and head injury) at Michigan would see Irvan choose to retire rather than risk his health any further.

What was the aftermath? Ernie Irvan has stayed retired, focusing on his family life. The MB2 36/01 car would see a single win (by Joe Nemechek in 2004) before being folded out of existence in 2007.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 9 packs of Skittles out of 10—Irvan went from competing for a championship to being NASCAR’s greatest comeback story to racing for a startup team that was essentially a Hendrick satellite team.

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Spade Racing Opens Two Blaster Boxes of 2025 Select Cards—Pack 4 of 12

Pack 4: A Tire, a Trier, and “Fire”

First Look: And here’s our first memorabilia piece, a swatch of Carson Kvapil’s tire! Just about 6,000 more and I’ll have a full set of tires!

To the Back: I give Ernie Irvan full credit for his many comebacks from injury. Then again, he DID have to leave RYR pretty much because he was in a bad mood.

Say What: “Ooh, I’m naughty!”

Final Rating: 9 preferred lines out of 10

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

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Visit the store https://www.cafepress.com/spaderacing

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A MOXOC Media production

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Rusty Wallace

Rusty runs for Roger Penske 11 years before you thought (1980)

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 Racers Reunion & Don Smyle

Why? A previous connection with the Penske team’s management allowed Rusty Wallace to make his Cup Series debut in 1980 at Atlanta. Yes—Rusty Wallace raced for Roger Penske WELL before 1991.

How successful were they? Any time you go out and finish second in your first Cup Series race, that’s a massive success. Wallace would add a 14th-place finish in the fall Charlotte race before Roger Penske mothballed his NASCAR operations.

What was the aftermath? Wallace slowly worked his way up the NASCAR food chain, peaking with a championship for Blue Max Racing in 1989. Two years later he partnered with Roger Penske and Don Miller to start Penske Racing South, where he would race until his retirement following the 2005 season.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 9 time travels out of 10—how often do you see someone run a one (or two) off, then return to that same team over a decade later?

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AUTO-Biographies: No Fear: Ernie Irvan: The Nascar Driver's Story of Tragedy and Triumph

Editor’s note: my thoughts are with Greg Biffle’a family, friends, and fans at this time

Author(s): Ernie Irvan and Peter Golenbock

The Good: This book was definitely not what I had expected—Ernie’s life was both fascinating and heartbreaking, and I’m not talking about his crashes, either. His early days are covered in detail, as is his stormy personal life. The book also has a unique narrative style which starts with his first Michigan crash, then flashes back to his childhood, hooking the reader right away.

The Not-so-good: There’s plenty here not to like—Ernie has multiple axes to grind, particularly towards most of his former team owners. But the worst thing? The typos. They’re GLARING—apparently he used to be sponsored by “Havalina” motor oil. It distracted me throughout the book.

What I’d Change: More proofreading was obviously necessary. I also might have asked Ernie to tone down the bitterness a notch.

Read It?: No, too many issues to make it an enjoyable read.

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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Spade Racing Opens Two Blaster Boxes of 2025 Select Cards—Pack 3 of 12

Pack 3: Yellow & Black, Austin on Attack, and is Conor Back?

First Look: Here we have it—proof-positive that we have too many cars with yellow and black paint schemes.

To the Back: Funny how with Austin, his reflexes and daring always lead to plowing through the competition.

Say What: “Wait, I ran Nascar in 2024? Well, I guess if you have proof…”

Final Rating: 2 caution laps 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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A MOXOC Media production

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Alex Bowman

Alex Bowman splits the 88 car with Jeff Gordon (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).

Alex Bowman takling to Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
Courtesy NBC Sports

Why? Perhaps no one in modern NASCAR has had a stranger journey to a top-level Cup team than Alex Bowman. He ran full seasons for BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing, then took on a test-driver role with Chevy before getting the call to share the 88 ride with Jeff Gordon, replacing an injured Dale Earnhardt Jr.

How successful were they? Bowman acquitted himself admirably, posting three top-tens in his first ten Cup starts with a truly top-flight operation.

What was the aftermath? Bowman missed the 2017 season before replacing Dale Jr. full-time in 2018. Since then he has posted eight Cup wins through the end of the 2024 season.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 7 weird paint schemes out of 10—just goes to show you that sometimes the guy running 30th really DOES have talent, he just needs an opportunity.

www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly

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A MOXOC Media production

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AUTO-Biographies: In the Blink of an Eye: Dale, Daytona, and the Day that Changed Everything

Author(s): Michael Waltrip & Ellis Henican

The Good: The pre-NASCAR chapters are very interesting—remember, he grew up with his brother Darrell already on the Cup circuit. While the book focuses a LOT on the 2001 Daytona 500, I rather enjoyed hearing about it from the inside. Mikey also isn’t above poking fun at himself on occasion.

The Not-so-good: Apparently nothing is Michael Waltrip’s fault—his lengthy losing streak, his team’s (first) cheating scandal, anything. He also seems to be a bit too “go with the flow” when looking back on his career, as though having the last name “Waltrip” wasn’t at least a bit of an advantage. Also, there’s a few oddball tonal shifts in the book—like mentioning his first daughter randomly midway though, then only mentioning her one other time, or randomly insulting Steve Park and Johnny Benson.

What I’d Change: This book definitely needed either a different co-author or a massive re-do. At the end of the day, we’re talking about someone with a handful of Cup Series wins talking about his career like it’s one of the all-time best.

Read It?: No, unless you enjoy revisionist history.

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

Does this track have lights?

A MOXOC Media production

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