Spade Racing Opens Two Blaster Boxes of 2025 Select Cards—Pack 5 of 12

Rather than a “hobby box”, I decided to go with the more economical choice of two “Blaster Boxes” for the 2025 Select cards.  With six packs of five cards each in each box, that’s twelve packs to open!

Pack 5: Seven-Time, Killin’ Time, and Back in Time

First Look: Its nice to see a card of Jimmie Johnson, but maybe they could’ve found a more evocative picture of him.  This one looks like he’s trying to decide between a hamburger and a hot dog for lunch.

To the Back: “Crossroads with the Burtons” sounds like one of those shows I’d randomly find playing on an obscure tv station around 3:10pm on a day off.

Say What: “Its great to be back—say, does JGR still take wins away due to ‘sponsor commitments’?”

Final Rating: 4 extra seconds on a pit stop out of 10

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Sterling Marlin

Between legends—Sterling Marlin’s year in the Stavola Brothers’ #8 (1993)

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).

Courtesy Racing Forums

Why? Early in his career Sterling Marlin was notorious for being a “bridesmaid”—posting numerous top-five finishes without securing a race win.  After two years at Junior Johnson’s team didn’t produce the long-awaited victory, he left to race for superspeedway specialists the Stavola Brothers for 1993.

How successful were they? While Marlin was definitely a step-up in the caliber of driver the Stavola Brothers would hire in the 1990’s, the equipment looked to be a step-down for Marlin.  The combo finished fifteenth in points, punctuated by two runner-up finishes at superspeedway races.

What was the aftermath? Both driver and team went in opposite directions.  Sterling left for Morgan-McClure Motorsports, breaking through in his very first race with them, winning the 1994 Daytona 500.  The Marlin-MMM combination was a constant threat to win at Daytona and Talladega and finished as high as third in the points standings.  The Stavola Brothers team, however, was unable to return to its successful runs in the 1980’s, and would peter out in 1998.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 2 Sterling impressions by Steve Byrnes out of 10—this was most-likely an attempt by Sterling to get out of Junior Johnson’s “second car”, and this was the best ride available at the time.

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Buy the book 100 Stock Car Racing What Ifs Unauthorized

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A MOXOC Media production

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Spade Racing’s Stars in Unusual Cars: Ernie Irvan

Ernie Irvan leaves Robert Yates to run the 36 Pontiac (1998-99)

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).

Courtesy the Tennessean

Why? After a comeback from his near-fatal head injuries, Ernie Irvan posted three wins in two years back in the Robert Yates Racing 28 car.  However, issues with Yates over licensing royalties, combined with sponsor Texaco’s growing dissatisfaction with Irvan’s behavior, led Irvan to leave for the recently-created MB2 Motorsports car for 1998.

How successful were they? After a disappointing first season with Derrike Cope, Irvan took the 36 car to a number of top-tens in 1998 before injuries kept him out of the final three races.  More solid finishes followed in 1999, until another serious crash (and head injury) at Michigan would see Irvan choose to retire rather than risk his health any further.

What was the aftermath? Ernie Irvan has stayed retired, focusing on his family life.  The MB2 36/01 car would see a single win (by Joe Nemechek in 2004) before being folded out of existence in 2007.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 9 packs of Skittles out of 10—Irvan went from competing for a championship to being NASCAR’s greatest comeback story to racing for a startup team that was essentially a Hendrick satellite team.

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