Race Picks (the last season?), Uncle Max vs. The Points Leader: DARLINGTON

In honor of throwback weekend, here’s Uncle Max’s yearbook info from his senior year of high school:

Maxwell (redacted)

ACTIVITIES: Debate team 1 2 3, JV Boys Basketball 1 2, Varsity Basketball (manager) 3 4, Track & Field Shotput 2 3, Future Retail Managers of America 1 2 3 4

ACHIEVEMENTS: Manager of the School Blood Drive (with record set for Most Pints Given), Founder of the “Brackets for Charity” March Madness Challenge, Library Aide of the Month (February)

QUOTE: “What a gambler” —The Simpsons

TRUCK SERIES (1 win) off

XFINITY SERIES Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 (Saturday 3:30pm ET on The CW) CHRISTOPHER BELL—It’s CBell’s world, we just live in it.

CUP SERIES Goodyear 400 (Sunday 3pm ET on FS1) Points Leader picks WILLIAM BYRON.  Favorite (2 wins): KYLE LARSON—the 5 team, they’re grrrrreat!  Next Favorite: TYLER REDDICK—even though he isn’t running a Kyle Petty scheme this year.  Dark Horse: RYAN PREECE—quietly establishing himself as a threat to win.

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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Spade Racing Opens a Blaster Box of 2024 Panini PRIZM Cards—6 of 6

I’m changing things up a bit for 2024, as instead of “hobby boxes”, I will be exploring the world of “blaster boxes” for NASCAR trading cards.

Pack 6 of 6: Throwback, Nice Payback, and Jaw/slacked

First Look: Ty Gibbs, groovy?  His grandpa was young in the 70’s and there wasn’t much groovy about HIM, unless you include the trips formation he perfected.

To the Back: Always awesome to see drivers doing something charitable with their time and money!

Say What: “Wait, they really shorted you a card on the previous pack?  Nice going, Panini.”

Final Rating: 5 cool down laps 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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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Clint Bowyer

Clint Bowyer spends a year-long layover at HScott Motorsports (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).

Why? Leaving a collapsing Michael Waltrip Racing, Clint Bowyer was able to sign on as the new driver of the Stewart-Haas Racing #14 for 2017, taking over for a retiring Tony Stewart.  Problem was that Bowyer’s MWR ride was shutting down after the 2015 season.  Needing a stop-gap solution, Bowyer took his car number (15) and sponsors to HScott Motorsports for 2016.

How successful were they? It was a year of struggle for everyone involved, as Bowyer plummeted from 16th in points to 27th in ill-handling cars.  Things got ugly after the season as Bowyer sued the team for money owed to him, although it was quickly settled out of court.

What was the aftermath? The HScott team shut down shortly afterwards, ending its long history dating back to James Finch’s entry to the Cup Series in 1990.  Upon arriving at SHR, Bowyer would post two more Cup race wins, but would retire young to move into broadcasting full-time.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 10 manipulated races out of 10—even taking into account the decline of MWR, this was a star driver going to race for one of the sport’s WORST TEAMS for an entire season. 

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