Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Kyle Petty

Kyle Petty fills his schedule with Hoss Ellington (1982)

Courtesy Essentially Sports

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? Kyle Petty started his career running the 42 car for his family team, Petty Enterprises.  However, the team didn’t seem up for running two cars (the 42 and 43) full-time.  As a result, Kyle would moonlight for six races in the 1982 season in Hoss Ellington’s #1 car.

How successful were they? A disappointing year for Kyle didn’t get any better in a different car, as he failed to crack the top-ten for Ellington.

What was the aftermath? Kyle would return to Petty Enterprises full-time for two more years before setting off on his own for several different teams.  Ellington, meanwhile, continued to field a part-time entry for several drivers through 1989.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 1 UNO-sponsored car out of 10—it was probably stranger when Kyle returned to Petty Enterprises running the #7 Ford.

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Nascar-afying Monday Night Football

It was recently announced that longtime Nascar on Fox director Artie Kempner will be moving to ESPN to direct Monday Night Football.  Given Fox’s Nascar coverage, here’s what we can expect:

—An extremely irritating bumpkin color commentator, otherwise best-known for being involved in a cheating scandal.

—Making a big deal about going “through the field”, focusing on the effects the game is having on each yard-line.

—“Crank It Up”, an annoucerless segment where viewers can bask in the cheering of the fans (well, not at Cleveland Browns games of course).

—Zip-line camera shots to get really, really close-up zooms of a head coach covering his mouth with a play-calling card.

—Constant promotion of competing leagues despite having disparate fan bases.

—Fair and balanced coverage of each team, unless Rick Hendrick becomes an owner.

—And, of course, what Nascar on Fox is best-known for: missing on-field action for commercials!

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

Uncle Max’s Men’s March Madness Predictions:

BIGGEST FIRST ROUND UPSETS: 11 12 Colorado St over 5 Memphis, 12 McNeese St. over 5 Clemson, 14 UNC-Wilmington over 3 Texas Tech, 15 Wofford over 2 Tennessee.

BIGGEST SWEET SIXTEEN SURPRISES: 5 Michigan (why is everyone picking them to lose in the first round?), 12 Colorado St, 11 VCU, 10 New Mexico

FINAL FOUR: 1 Auburn, 1 Florida, 2 Alabama, 1 Houston

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Auburn 73-Alabama 70

TRUCK SERIES (1 win) Baptist Health 200 (Friday 8pm ET on Fox) ROSS CHASTAIN—I guess competition with March Madness means getting your 3rd-best series on primetime network television.

XFINITY SERIES Hard Rock Bet 300 (Saturday 4pm ET on The CW) KYLE LARSON—its not an upset—more like when a 1 seed pulverizes a school like Northeastern Southwestern.

CUP SERIES Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Sunday 3pm ET on FS1) Points Leader picks WILLIAM BYRON.  Favorite (1 win): CHRISTOPHER BELL—I mean three for five (or three in four) is still pretty damn impressive.  Next Favorite: JOEY LOGANO—it’s a good sign for your career that being winless five races in is surprising.  Dark Horse: BRAD KESELOWSKI—two words: fuel mileage.

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