Race Picks Phoenix: 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.

AI (1 win) Google Gemini 3 sez: “Front-Runners to Watch

Tyler Reddick: He is arguably the hottest driver in the garage right now, having already won the Daytona 500 and the Autotrader 400 at Atlanta earlier this season.”

Meanwhile, here’s MY human picks:

Truck Series (1 win) off

O’Reilly Series GOVX 200 Saturday 7:30pm ET on CW: COREY DAY—he’s gotta be more than just a road course ringer, right?

Cup Series StraightTalk Wireless 500 Sunday 3:30pm on Fox  FAVORITE: DENNY HAMLIN—maybe it’s just going to be a Toyota kind of year.  NEXT FAVORITE: KYLE LARSON—sticking with Larson as my next favorite because AI keeps picking Tyler Reddick.  DARK HORSE: ALEX BOWMAN—no cool suit required (well, this week).

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 Opens 2 Blaster Boxes of 2025 Panini Prizm Cards—Pack 1 of 12

Rather than a “hobby box”, I decided to go with the more economical choice of two “Blaster Boxes” for the 2025 Panini Prizm cards (although they were bought in January 2026.  With six packs of five cards each in each box, that’s twelve packs to open!

Pack 1: First first look, by the book, and what’s the hook?

First Look: As usual, the Prizm cards look great.  And as usual, they don’t always photograph well.  And and as usual, I’ll remind you that I didn’t take photography in school.

To the Back: How long till people start to act like Ross Chastain was Trackhouse’s first Cup driver?

Say What: “Why am I on a Nascar and and why don’t I have any logos on my shirt and why the HECK am I on a Nascar card?”

Final Rating: 3 pace 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

www.moxoc.com

Foundational Bricks—The 1994 Brickyard 400: 9th, Sterling Marlin

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 9th: Sterling Marlin #4 Kodak Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevy

Marlin in 1994

Finished: 14th

Career Highlights: Two-time Daytona 500 winner, 10 Cup Series wins, first winner for Dodge’s Cup program 2.0, Steve Byrnes’ impression of him.

Total Brickyard 400 Starts: 13

Best Brickyard 400 Finish: 2nd (2001)

1994 Fun Fact: Sterling ended a lengthy winless streak in the 1994 Daytona 500 with his maiden win.  It was like Michael Waltrip only much less irritating.

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