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.



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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


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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”.



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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



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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.




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Spade Racing Opens a 2026 Donruss Hobby Box of Cards—Pack 6 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 6: Three big whiffers (well, four if you count me losing the Pack 5 entries)


First Look: I’m guessing Riley winds up at Legacy MC next year, but what do I know?  Well, besides simple logic and deduction skills.


To the Back: I don’t know which Burton had a more-disappointing career to-date, Harrison or Jeb.  At least neither of them have run for a decaying Morgan-McClure Motorsports (…yet).


Say What: “Mining companies and a 00’s sitcom star—its a winning combination!”


Final Rating: 2 associate sponsors out of 10



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


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Foundational Bricks—The 1994 Brickyard 400: 26th, Danny Sullivan

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 26th: Danny Sullivan #99 Corporate Car of Indianapolis Virtue Racing Chevy


Finished: 33rd


Career Highlights: 1985 Indianapolis 500, 1988 CART Series champion, 17 time IndyCar race winner, that random Miami Vice cameo.

Sullivan's car on the Brickyard's
pit road

Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 1


Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 33rd (1994)





1994 Fun Fact: Danny DNQ’d for two earlier races in 1994—this Brickyard 400 would be his only Nascar start.  And somehow this led to him running the Red Bull driver search.



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Dodge Rumored for 2027 Cup Return, 2030 Cup Departure

This is a parody

Rumors are swirling around the Nascar garage that Stellantis is planning to enter Nascar Cup competition in 2027 with the Dodge brand.  Concurrently, rumors are also swirling that Dodge is expected to leave Cup again in 2030.

“Stellantis is happy with the return on investment they’ve been getting in the Truck Series this year with Ram”, a high-ranking member of the Nascar media corps said yesterday.  “Word is they’re lining up at least two multi-car teams to run with in 2027.  After that, Dodge is reportedly expecting to leave the sport again by the start of the next decade.”

The Dodge brand has run in Nascar on numerous occasions, most-recently from 2001 through 2013.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see Dodge running Cup next year with Kaulig (Racing) and at least one other team”, another member of the Nascar media said under the condition of anonymity.  “I have it on good authority that the management team for Stellantis’ American brands have budgeted for a big roll out in 2027, then a hurried roll-back in 2030.”

Among those teams considered for a move to Dodge include the aforementioned Kaulig Racing, RFK Racing, and Legacy Motor Club.

“Listen, there’s nobody who likes to run a Dodge deal more than me”, said Legacy MC team ambassador Richard Petty.  “And there’s nobody who knows more about Dodge pulling their funding deal suddenly more than me.”

It remains to be seen what Mopar fans will whine about over the next four years now that their beloved brand will be running again.



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Race Picks Sonoma: 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 (3 wins) sez: If I had to pick one driver today, I’d take Shane van Gisbergen


Truck Series (2 wins) off


O’Reilly Series (3 wins) Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 Saturday 5:30pm ET on CW: SVG—this could be a “JRM vs. the field” type weekend, kinda like how Cup has been "23XI+Hamlin" vs. the field.


Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sunday 3:30pm ET on TNT  FAVORITE (1 win): DENNY HAMLIN—domination continues in wine country.  NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): TYLER REDDICK—its 23XI’s world, we’re all living in it.  DARK HORSE (1 win): CHRIS BUESCHER—he did pick up some pointers from Dinger when he was at JTD-G, after all.



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 Opens a 2026 Donruss Hobby Box of Cards—Pack 4 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 4: Toni x2, an Early Season Hotshot, and Phaseolus Lu(naus)


First Look: Twice the Toni Breidinger means twice the fun for creepy guys who leave awkwardly personal messages on her social media posts!


To the Back: Most years there’s someone who jumps out to a big points lead, be it Tyler Reddick, C.Bell, or even that one year with Jeremy Mayfield (really!).


Say What: Queen’s nickname came form his infant resemblance to toughman fighter Eric “Butterbean” Esch, which makes me wonder if any people are named for their resemblance as babies to Todd Bodine.


Final Rating: 4 mid-race side-by-side commercials 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


Does this track have lights?


A MOXOC Media production

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