Race Picks Kansas: 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.

Grok AI (5 wins) sez: Top Contenders: Kyle Larson — The clearest favorite right now. He just took the Chase lead by 1 point over Denny Hamlin after finishing 2nd at Bristol. Kansas is one of his best tracks: he has multiple wins there in recent years, leads all drivers in laps led at the 1.5-mile oval in the Next Gen era, and consistently runs up front on intermediates. His recent momentum makes him the guy to beat.

Truck Series (2 wins) Kansas 200 Saturday 1pm ET on FS1: JAKE GARCIA—at least its not GREG Garcia.

O’Reilly Series (4 wins) off

Cup Series Hollywood Casino 3pm ET on USA  FAVORITE (1 win): CHRISTOPHER BELL—maybe there’ll be a brawl after this race too.  NEXT FAVORITE (3 wins): WILLIAM BYRON—a quiet run finally gets loud.  DARK HORSE (2 wins): BRAD KESELOWSKI—fuuuueeeellllll mileagggge.

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 Three 2026 Select “Blaster” Boxes—Pack 1 of 18

I’m moving away from Hobby Boxes to three “Blaster” Boxes this time for the 2026 Panini Select cards.  Join me as I go through all 18 packs!

Pack 1: First first look, the path took, and are “obscure Truck Series drivers” this series’ hook?

First Look: Here’s a look at the 2026 Select cards’ basic look.  As is often the case, they’re very fancy, very slick, and VERY hard to photograph.

To the Back: As always there’s the issue of these cards going to print months before they are released to the public.  So they missed all the great things Jake Garcia’s done since then like…uhh, more top-tens.

Say What: “I’m a little teapot”

Final Rating: 2 pre-race interviews 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

www.moxoc.com

Foundational Bricks—The 1994 Brickyard 400: 38th, Jeff Burton

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 38th: (rookie) Jeff Burton #8 Raybestos Stavola Brothers Racing Ford

Finished: 19th

Career Highlights: 21 Cup Series race wins, four (consecutive) Cup Series championship top-five finishes, 1999 Southern 500 winner, drove a pink-accented car and didn’t get mocked for it.

Jeff Burton late in his
career

Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 20

Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 5th (1999)

1994 Fun Fact: Jeff was the 1994 Cup Series Rookie of the Year, beating out his own brother for the award.  On the flip side, Jeff didn’t spend an entire year living off the land in the woods.

Signed by team co-owner Billy Stavola

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