Race Picks Las Vegas: 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.


AI (1 win) Claude AI (Sonnet 4.6) sez: “The Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is scheduled for March 15, 2026 so it hasn't been run yet, and there's no way to predict the winner with certainty. That said, here are some factors to watch heading into the race:  Kyle Larson has historically been strong at Las Vegas, a 1.5-mile intermediate track where Hendrick Motorsports cars tend to excel.


Meanwhile, here’s MY human picks:

Truck Series (1 win) off


O’Reilly Series The LiUNA! Saturday 5:30pm ET on CW: JESSE LOVE—am I the only one who finds oval races without numerical lengths more than a little weird?


Cup Series Pennzoil 400 Sunday 4pm on Fox  FAVORITE: CHRISTOPHER BELL—again, maybe it’s just going to be a Toyota kind of year.  NEXT FAVORITE: TYLER REDDICK—finally, I get to pick him!  DARK HORSE: AUSTIN CINDRIC—it would be funny if he won before Joey Logano this year, but not so much “ha-ha” funny.



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Spade Racing Opens 2 Blaster Boxes of 2025 Panini Prizm Cards—Pack 2 of 12


Rather than a “hobby box”, I decided to go with the more economical choice of two “Blaster Boxes” for the 2025 Panini Prizm cards (although they were bought in January 2026.  With six packs of five cards each in each box, that’s twelve packs to open!


Pack 2: Flyin Ryan, still tryin’, and a young lion


First Look: I still find it odd that retired drivers of all stripes are included in modern sets (basically anybody who did anything besides Dale Earnhardt).  On the plus side, at least the green parallel frame kinda matches the paint scheme.


To the Back: Having one of only 199 of anything is pretty cool, although I don’t know why.  Oh well, no use complaining.


Say What: “Some day soon I *WILL* lead our three car team to a championship.”


Final Rating: 5 wheel hops out of 10



www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly


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Foundational Bricks—The 1994 Brickyard 400: 10th, Mark Martin

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 10th: Mark Martin #6 Valvoline Roush Racing Ford


Finished: 35th


Mark Martin in 2024
Career Highlights: 40 Cup Series wins, four-time Cup Series championship runner-up, two-time Southern 500 winner, world’s longest retirement tour.


Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 20


Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 2nd (1998, 2009)


1994 Fun Fact: Though he won only two races in 1994, Mark finished second in the season points standings.  The keys to the 6 team’s performance were consistency, top-fives at low-attrition races, and preventing anybody from stealing Jack Roush’s hat.



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Patrick Warburton as Grand Marshal Today? “Yeah, That’s Right”


As you may have heard, actor Patrick Warburton and his mustache will be the grand marshal for today’s Cup race at Phoenix.  However, I’ve read through the official press release, and while highlighting some of his voice roles, there’s a DISTURBING lack of Seinfeld quotes.  This from a guy who played David Puddy!  So, to rectify that, here’s some of Puddy’s best quotes put into a Nascar context:


“Feels like an Arby’s night” —reaction after Justin Allgaier’s win yesterday.


“Gotta support the team” —Alex Bowman fans still rooting for the 48 today.


“High five” —Kyle Larson when he wins and/or gets airborne.


“I’ll come back, we’ll make out” —Tony Stewart to Leah Pruitt just before a race.


“You got a question, you ask the 8-ball” —Kyle Busch pointing to his destroyed race car that finishes 32nd”


“All signs point to YES!” —Mike Joy answering the question ‘What’s your favorite prog rock band?”


“Don’t boss me!” —championship drivers on the radio when spotters who barely qualified for Busch Series races tell them what to do.


“Sorry, ‘thou shalt not steal’” —JGR fans acting high and mighty about the whole Spire/Gabehart thing.


“That’s a misprint” —reading said press release with its dearth of Seinfeld quotes.



www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly


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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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Race Picks Phoenix: 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.

AI (1 win) Google Gemini 3 sez: “Front-Runners to Watch

Tyler Reddick: He is arguably the hottest driver in the garage right now, having already won the Daytona 500 and the Autotrader 400 at Atlanta earlier this season.”

Meanwhile, here’s MY human picks:


Truck Series (1 win) off


O’Reilly Series GOVX 200 Saturday 7:30pm ET on CW: COREY DAY—he’s gotta be more than just a road course ringer, right?


Cup Series StraightTalk Wireless 500 Sunday 3:30pm on Fox  FAVORITE: DENNY HAMLIN—maybe it’s just going to be a Toyota kind of year.  NEXT FAVORITE: KYLE LARSON—sticking with Larson as my next favorite because AI keeps picking Tyler Reddick.  DARK HORSE: SVG—no road course required (well, this week).


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 2 Blaster Boxes of 2025 Panini Prizm Cards—Pack 1 of 12


Rather than a “hobby box”, I decided to go with the more economical choice of two “Blaster Boxes” for the 2025 Panini Prizm cards (although they were bought in January 2026.  With six packs of five cards each in each box, that’s twelve packs to open!


Pack 1: First first look, by the book, and what’s the hook?


First Look: As usual, the Prizm cards look great.  And as usual, they don’t always photograph well.  And and as usual, I’ll remind you that I didn’t take photography in school.


To the Back: How long till people start to act like Ross Chastain was Trackhouse’s first Cup driver?


Say What: “Why am I on a Nascar and and why don’t I have any logos on my shirt and why the HECK am I on a Nascar card?”


Final Rating: 3 pace laps out of 10



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


Does this track have lights?


A MOXOC Media production

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Foundational Bricks—The 1994 Brickyard 400: 9th, Sterling Marlin

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 9th: Sterling Marlin #4 Kodak Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevy


Marlin in 1994
Finished: 14th


Career Highlights: Two-time Daytona 500 winner, 10 Cup Series wins, first winner for Dodge’s Cup program 2.0, Steve Byrnes’ impression of him.


Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 13


Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 2nd (2001)


1994 Fun Fact: Sterling ended a lengthy winless streak in the 1994 Daytona 500 with his maiden win.  It was like Michael Waltrip only much less irritating.



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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Joey Hand on Standby for Keselowski, Puns


This is a parody

Experienced sports car racer Joey Hand is on standby this weekend for both Brad Keselowski (recovering from a broken right femur this past winter) and puns (because everybody likes puns).

“Having Joey here will provide us with a backup plan if Brad (Keselowski) has to get out of the car mid-race”, said an RFK Racing spokesman.  “Furthermore, we couldn’t be happier to have him on HAND this weekend.  Get it?  Hand?!?”

Hand, best known for his exploits in IMSA and the American Le Mans Series, last raced in Nascar Cup in 2024, posting a fourth-place finish at the Chicago Street Course race for RFK’s test team.  He also has a last name that’s pretty funny in certain contexts.

“Joey knows the focus will be on Brad Keselowski running and finishing the race at COTA (Circuit of the Americas), but we might need Joey in an emergency to get in the car”, said an RFK public relations agent.  “So I guess you could say that he’ll be waiting on Brad Keselowski HAND and foot this weekend, huh?  Get it?  HAND and foot?!?”.

Hand, for his part, seemed to understand his limited role as possible substitute/pun-fodder when interviewed earlier this morning.  

“Nobody likes to get a ride due to another driver’s injury, but we’re all aware of the challenges of racing with an injured leg on a road course”, Hand said.  “If called upon I’ll be ready, and I guess it won’t be the first time Brad (Keselowski) will hang out with a guy named Joey, right?  Oh, ok…’lets give him a Hand’”.



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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