Race Picks (the last season?), Uncle Max vs. The Points Leader: GATEWAY (aka St. Louis)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Here’s Uncle Max’s annual NFL season preview

Regular Season Standings (Playoff teams in ALL CAPS, *—first round bye)

NFC East: COMMANDERS, EAGLES, Cowboys, Giants

NFC North: *PACKERS, LIONS, Vikings, Bears

NFC South: BUCCANNERS, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

NFC West: 49ERS, RAMS, Cardinals, Seahawks

AFC East: BILLS, DOLPHINS, Jets, Patriots

AFC North: *RAVENS, BENGALS, Browns, Steelers

AFC South: TEXANS, Titans, Jaguars, Colts

AFC West: CHIEFS, CHARGERS, Raiders, Broncos

Teams making “The Leap”: 49ers, Titans

Teams making “The Drop”: Vikings, Steelers

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Commanders over Eagles 42-31

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Ravens over Chiefs 37-31 (OT)

SUPER BOWL: Ravens over Commanders 49-21

TRUCK SERIES (6 wins) off

XFINITY SERIES (2 wins) Nu Way 200 (Saturday 7:30pm ET on The CW) CARSON KVAPIL—“I’d like to dedicate this next song to The Nu Way”.

CUP SERIES Enjoy Illinois 300 (Sunday 3pm ET on USA) Points Leader picks CHASE BRISCOE.  Favorite (2 wins): DENNY HAMLIN—after last week’s nuttiness, I’m predicting a dull race.  Next Favorite (5 wins): CHASE—with nothing but contenders in the top ten.  Dark Horse (2 wins): CHRIS BUESCHER—ok, maybe a SLIGHT upset.

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 a 2025 Donruss Hobby Box: Pack 3 of 16

It’s back to new cards, with a “hobby box” of 2025 Donruss racing cards.  There’s sixteen packs, so join me as I go through each of them!

Pack 3 of 16: Double Deals, Power Wheels, and All the Feels

First Look: In case you can’t tell the differences between these two, there’s two big ones: 1.) one is for Tracker Boats, the other for Tracker Off Road, and 2.) one driver actually has talent.

To the Back: “A plastic battery-powered Corvette”?  I’m surprised he didn’t grow up to be a dentist with a bad toupee.

Say What: (Chase): “Sometimes I like to think back to the old days, when Napa sponsorship went towards someone who cheated.  And then cheated again.

Final Rating: 3 hot 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: Christopher Bell

C.Bell debuts for Leavine Family Racing (2020)

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? Independent team Leavine Family Racing aligned itself with Joe Gibbs Racing for 2019.  This allowed them to field a car for Rookie of the Year candidate Christopher Bell—a JGR-contracted driver—for the 2020 season.

How successful were they? One year after fielding a car for Matt DiBenedetto, C.Bell’s results were largely the same, with occasional top-five finishes and near-identical points finishes (22nd vs. 20th, respectively).

What was the aftermath? A combination of the COVID-19 pandemic, a desire to put C.Bell in JGR equipment, and the value of their charter convinced LFR to close down after the 2020 season.  Bell has since gone on to post nine Cup wins from 2021 through 2024 and is a regular championship contender.

Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 5 skull-and-crossbones paint schemes out of 10—good on JGR for getting Bell some experience in a mid-level car, a la Formula 1.

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