Race Picks North Wilkesboro: 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.


ChatGPT AI (5 wins) sez: I think Kyle Larson takes the Window World 450. 


Truck Series (2 wins) FaithFest 250 Saturday 12:30pm ET on FS1: LAYNE RIGGS—a festival of faith, but I’m still not picking a Ram to win.


O’Reilly Series (4 wins) off


Cup Series Window World 450 7pm ET on TNT  FAVORITE (1 win): CHRISTOPHER BELL—and why isn’t this a Saturday night race, for the third straight week?  NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): DENNY HAMLIN—and I don’t know why this is a “450”, but I kinda like it.  DARK HORSE (1 win): BUBBA WALLACE—back from the DQ.




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Spade Racing Opens a 2026 Donruss Hobby Box of Cards—Pack 8 of 16

It’s back to a hobby back for the first official 2026 cards.  Join me as I go through all 16 packs of 8 cards each!


Pack 8: Last Name Seen, What’s That Mean, and Louis XV


First Look: Durst?  Like Fred?  Is he sponsored by hot dog flavored water?


To the Back: While I realize that “Spellbound” refers to the letter on the front of the card, what is spellbinding about a fuel mileage race?  Especially one in Iowa?


Say What: “Après moi, le déluge”


Final Rating: 6 stage break caution laps 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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Foundational Bricks—The 1994 Brickyard 400: 28th, John Andretti

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 28th: (rookie) John Andretti #14 Bryant/Byrd’s Cafeteria Hagan Racing Chevy


Finished: 28th

John Andretti shortly
after retiring from full-
time racing

Career Highlights: Two Cup Series race wins, one IndyCar race win, first driver to “Do the Double” (Indy 500 & Coke 600), lifetime supply of cereal.


Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 11


Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 7th (1998)



Signed by Doug Williams,
John Andretti's crew chief


1994 Fun Fact: John raced for two teams in 1994, starting with Hagan Racing and moving to Petty Enterprises.  Before shutting down, the Hagan team replaced Andretti with Phil Parsons, which I think was a law of some sort.



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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50 States of Fans at Tonight’s Race…Even These Ones


This is a parody

A press release issued from EchoPark Speedway noted that fans are attending tonight’s race from all fifty states.  While some seem obvious (the Carolinas, California, Georgia), there ARE people attending from some of the lesser-thought-of state as well.  Here they are:


Hal Warren, Shelby Montana: Comes to this race every year as part of a visit to his step-grandparents, with the race taking up 3 days and the visit taking up 3 BINGO games.


Johnny Reynolds, Fairbanks Alaska: Superfan of Carson Hocevar—a welcome change after nearly 20 years as a superfan of Brian Scott.


Diane Murray, Peterborough New Hampshire—won these tickets in a divorce, sits next to a wooden sign reading “Was She Worth It?”


Jackie Neyman, Binford North Dakota: Actually lives outside Macon Georgia, but maintains a North Dakota mailing address so she can claim to be “North Dakota’s biggest Chase Elliott fan”.


William “Dub” Jennings, Little Heaven Delaware: Helped Marcus Smith change a tire on a rental car last year, now he gets free tickets to any SMI race he wants (well, except Bristol).


Bernie Rosenbaum, Honolulu Hawaii: We go on vacation to Hawaii, but Hawaiians go on vacation to watch Ryan Preece possibly fly through the air…again.



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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Race Picks Atlanta/Lime Rock: 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.


ChatGPT AI (4 wins) sez: If I had to make one pick, I'd go with Ryan Blaney


Truck Series (2 wins) LiUNA 150 Saturday 1pm ET on FS1: KADEN HONEYCUTT—Lime Rock, next to Lemon Rock?


O’Reilly Series (4 wins) Focused Health 250 Saturday 7pm ET on CW: SHELDON CREED—as opposed to what, unfocused health?


Cup Series Quaker State 400 7pm ET on TNT  FAVORITE (1 win): CHASE ELLIOTT—and why isn’t this a Saturday night race, either?  NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): AUSTIN CINDRIC—hey, my #2 pick is #2.  DARK HORSE (1 win): SPIRE PICK’EM—Carson Hocevar, Daniel Suarez, or Michael McDowell.



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 2026 Donruss Hobby Box of Cards—Pack 7 of 16


It’s back to a hobby back for the first official 2026 cards.  Join me as I go through all 16 packs of 8 cards each!


Pack 7: What Happened…


First Look: What Happened to World Wide Technology?  They were sponsoring the RPM 43 for about 2/3s of the season, now they sponsor a random track outside St. Louis and nothing else?


To the Back: What Happened to talking about WHY the 25 was available in 1988, huh?  HUH!?!


Say What: “What Happened to my name?  Is it just me or does ‘John Paul Southern’ sound like the name of a Nascar driver in a bad cartoon?”


Final Rating: 3 obscure regional series drivers 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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Foundational Bricks—The 1994 Brickyard 400: 27th, Darrell Waltrip

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 27th: Darrell Waltrip #17 Western Auto Darrell Waltrip Inc. Chevy


Darrell Waltrip on pit road at
the Brickyard
Finished: 6th


Career Highlights: Three-time Cup Series champion, 84 Cup Series wins, 1989 Daytona 500 winner, popularized the word “Boogity”.


Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 7


Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 6th (1994)




Autographed by Lou LaRosa, DW's
lead engine builder in 1994


1994 Fun Fact: Darrell was involved in a last lap crash at the 1994 fall Charlotte race with Bobby Hillin Jr and, awkwardly, his brother Michael Waltrip.  This was late enough in the season for it to be called “pulling a Bodine”.



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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The Hero Card Project: Part 5


Link to Part 4

Hero card responses just keep pouring in!  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 sent SASEs (Self Addressed Stamped Envelopes) to every Cup, O’Reilly 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!

The following cards arrived from June 19th through July 3rd.


Four cards (two signed!) from ARCA team Nitro Motorsports

Three cards (Two signed!) from Truck Series team Halmar Friesen Racing

Three cards from LiveFast Motorsports



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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Race Picks Chicagoland: 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.


Microsoft Copilot AI (4 wins) sez: Most likely contenders (based on 2026 results so far).  These drivers have already won multiple races or shown strong performance this season:  Tyler Reddick — Multiple wins in 2026, including Daytona 500 and several early-season victories. 


Truck Series (2 wins) off


O’Reilly Series (4 wins) Cuervo 300 Saturday 5:30pm ET on CW: CARSON KVAPIL—kvroom, kvroom.


Cup Series Eero 400 6pm ET on TNT  FAVORITE (1 win): DENNY HAMLIN—and why isn’t this a Saturday night race?  NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): RYAN BLANEY—quietly getting ready for a dominant Chase run.  DARK HORSE (1 win): BUBBA WALLACE—with some crying in victory lane, I’m sure.




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