Random Wax: 2025 Donruss NASCAR 4 Hobby Box Packs with Auto

2025 Donruss:  It's Father's Day and we'll kick it off with a NASCAR post for all the dads who like seeing these guys turn left.  And I'm one of those guys.  Michael Waltrip only had 4 Cup wins in his career, but he was always a great fun driver personality in the sport and he's still active as a NASCAR O'Reilly Series (minor leagues) and NASCAR Truck Series commentator.  His best seasons were 1994 and 1995 when he finished 12th in the rankings both seasons, and he's looking great on this Red Xplosion Auto #/49.

I don't like saying it every time, but this is a boring design.  Just nothing going on on the fronts that scream NASCAR or fun.  Driver car number?  A little car design?  Tire design?  Race track design?  Give me anything people!  "Hurricane" Hocevar is always fun to watch because you don't know what chaos he might bring to the track.  He's only 23 and did get his first win this season and looks to make the playoffs for the first time in his career.

Jesse Love won the 2025 O'Reilly Series Championship (minors).  He's shown on a Red and Blue Parallel.  Two more young drivers appear on these Rated Rookie cards.

Not a fan of Spellbound but pop is a big fan of Kyle Larson.  These inserts allow you to spell out a driver's name if you get all of their Spellbound cards.  Larson has won 2 Championships and is the reigning NASCAR champ.

These Race Kings grown on me more and more though maybe a bit more color around the border would help.  But still, I like that Donruss brought back the cars.  Denny Hamlin is the biggest personality in the sport and for the all the great drivers NASCAR has, there just aren't enough drivers with the big personalities the sport craves.

After winning 10 races in the O'Reilly Series (minors) last season, Connor Zilisch is now a rookie at the Cup level.  He's on a Spellbound Carolina Blue Ice Parallel #/199.

More youngsters in the sport.  Layne Riggs is one of the top drivers in the Truck Series.

And some all-time greats including three retired greats.  We get The King, Richard Petty, Alan Kulwicki and Davey Allison both left the sport too soon.  Kulwicki won one championship but died shortly afterwards in a plane crash and Allison passed away at the height of his career in a helicopter crash.  Petty is the all-time winningest racer with 200 wins to go along with 7 Championships.  Joey Logano is no slouch winning 3 Championships of his own.

BREAKDOWN:

32 – Total Cards

5 – Retired Greats

4 – Red and Blue Parallel

2 – Race Kings

2 – Spellbound

2 – Rated Rookies

1 – Signature Series 

1 – Red Xplosion Parallel #/49

1 - Carolina Blue Ice Parallel #/99

Random Wax: 2024 Topps Stadium Club with Autograph

2024 Stadium Club:   Happy Opening Day!  Mike Trout played 130 games last year which was his most since playing 134 in 2019.  He managed 26 home runs but his average of .232 was one of the worst of his career.  There are rumors he wants to play in the field more this year.  I'd love to see that but only if he can stay healthy.  My favorite player in the sport today.

This pack I purchased in November of 2024, and never shared before, had plenty of star power.  

Plent of Pink Foil Parallels and Dodgers in this pack.

I really like this Red Parallel Rod Carew.  Such and underrated player and this is a good photo and the red works.  I remember him most with the Angels and with this look.

Some youngsters and another retired great.  Christy Mathewson won the pitching Triple Crown 2X and had the best ERA 5X on the way to winning 373 games.  What a 2-year career for Yashinobu Yamamoto.  Two World Series Championships, a World Series MVP and a 1X All-Star.

We love great photos like this and who doesn't like an autograph?  Brandon Walter was signed as a free agent by the Houston Astros and had a good 2025.  He had 9 starts with a 3.35 ERA in 53 innings.  Good vibes for you and your teams this week as regular season games kick off the 2026 season.   

BREAKDOWN:
15 – Total Cards
3 – Pink Foil
2 - RC
2 – Retired Greats
1 - Chrome
1 – Red Foil
1 – Base Autograph

Random Wax: 2023-2024 Contenders Basketball (2 Packs) with Auto

23-24 Contenders:  Giannis and the Bucks haven't seen the results on the court in recent years but that doesn't take away from this man's greatness.  He's averaged 26+ points per game for eigtht of his 12 NBA seasons including 30+ the last three seasons.  In a league that values the three he still dominates other teams in different ways they can't defend and we don't see with any other players.  Don't forget about him when we talk about greats in today's game.

Contenders is a small set, so you'll always see plenty of stars in your pulls unless you just get really unlucky.  These three are greats in the game. What a difference a year makes.  Doncic traded to the Lakers, Durant to the Rockets and Tatum out for the upcoming season with an injury.

All three of these youngsters are really good players in the league.  I like Draft Class inserts and the look of Rookie Stallions.

Historic Draft Class cards give us a look back at past greats which is a highlight for me.  And Shaq is always a fun pull.

Unfortunately, Leaky Black didn't get a second season in the NBA.  That Chet Holmgren, of the champion Thunder, is on a Green Parallel and we get a Game Night Ticket Kyrie Irving.  That is actually a solid design.

Celtics legend.

Porzingis is now an Atlanta Hawk who've gone all in for the upcoming season with the East up for grabs.  Siakam is now a Pacer and things have changed so much in Indy since they made the Finals.  Haliburton out with an injury and Myles Turner took his game to Milwaukee.

Butler is in Golden State now while Anthony Davis ended up in Dallas in the crazy Luka trade.  I'm not the biggest AD homer but I hope he and the Mavs actually do well together.  Anthony Edwards, Georgia Bulldog alum, is the new hotness in the league.

BREAKDOWN:

44 – Total Cards

7 – RC

2 – Retired Greats

2 – Rookie Stallions

2 – Historic Draft Class

2 – Green Game Ticket Parallels

1 – Draft Class

1 – Game Night Ticket

1 – Rookie Ticket Autograph

Random Wax: 2021 Contenders Draft Picks Blaster with Autograph

2021 Draft Picks:  Patrick Mahomes is one of the best we've ever seen.  Kansas City knew they wanted him but didn't know he'd be a 2X MVP, 3X Super Bowl MVP, 2X All-Pro when they traded a 2018 1st round pick (22nd overall subsequently traded, Rashaan Evans), 2017 1st round pick (27th overall, Tre'Davious White) and 2017 3rd round pick (91st overall subsequently traded, John Johnson) to the Buffalo Bills to move and take Mahomes.  Maybe we'll be having another conversation like this in some years after this draft.

This was a great box.  I really like the design; the college unis and I'm a Contenders fan.

Fields hasn't really panned out, but I do like this Front-Row Seats card.  The horizontal look, college logo and design work for me.

Legendary Contenders is fun, but I'd prefer color photos.  That Cam Akers is a Red Game Ticket Parallel.  I like the Draft Class card design.

More greats from the league.  The backs are fine for what they are.  Josh Allen showing his wheels.

Unfortunately, Austin Watkins never played in the NFL.  Still, I'm extremely happy with my pull in this box.  I purchased it in June of 2021.  Just now getting around to posting it.  We'll end it with more greatness in The Goat, Tom Terrific in his great maize and blue Michigan uni.  Enjoy the draft!

BREAKDOWN:

42 – Total Cards

2 – Legendary

2 – Red Parallel Game Ticket

1 – Retired Great

1 – 2021 Draft Class

1 – Front Row Seats

1 – Red Parallel College Ticket Autograph

2025 Topps Baseball Hanger Box with Autograph

 2025 Topps: I normally have a base card as the first card for the initial post of a set, but how could I not post this sweet looking 1990 Topps Baseball Autograph Ozzie Smith.  Not quite sure what I'll do with it but sales on eBay make think I may go that direction.  Great looking card, really nice auto and a great pull to start off the 2025 baseball card season.

I like this year's design.  May not rank up there all-time but I like some of the elements they give us.  The ball field showing their position, the nice sized logo, and even the team's name which took some time to warm up to.

Youngsters as always get the RC treatment.  Spencer Schwellenbach started 21 games for the Braves going 8-7 with a 3.35 ERA.  Great first season.  

We get all the stats we want so these are always a win.  I like player information and write-up as well.  Nice big logo and easy to read card number.  I'm in on these backs.

Here we have a Holo Foil Parallel, a Clayton Kershaw 1990 Topps Baseball insert and a Diamante Foil Parallel of Matt Olson.  I really like the Diamante parallel which may be hanger box exclusives but I'm not sure of that.

One of my Team Card pulls.  Team statistical leaders are found on the backs but somehow Topps still doesn't give us the actual numbers the leaders put up for their team, only their names.  Fail.  But the fronts are fine.

Some of the photos really stand out like that J.P. Crawford but overall we get pretty good photography from Topps.

I like the Leage Leaders cards.  We get photos, numbers and player names for the top three on the fronts.  And the league logo, American League in this case, and really like it.

Something about the All-Star Rookie Cup is always fun.  Some fun going on on the Checklist Card highlighted by some Guardians shenanigans.  I like the design on the Call to the Hall cards and loved that I pulled Rickey.  RIP.

The backs of the League Leaders cards are just as fun.  More photos, numbers, more leaders, color, league logo.  Good job Topps.

Some impressive hurlers from the 2024 season.

Some fun horizonal offerings are found in this set as always.

There are four Stars of MLB inserts in each hanger box.  I really like the look of these.  Felt like the designs the last few years had gotten stale but these pop with color.  Great pull as well.  Just wow.  This box was so much fun.  Love seeing the new designs and of course the stars in this box help.

BREAKDOWN:
59 – Total Cards
10 – RC
4 – Team Cards
4 – Stars of MLB
2 – Checklists
2 - Diamante Foil
1 – Holo Foil
1 – Rookie Cup
1 – Call to the Hall
1 – League Leaders
1 – 1990 Topps Baseball
1 - 1990 Topps Baseball Autograph

2021 Topps Heritage High Number Blaster with Autograph

2021 High Numbers:  Great autograph pull in this blaster which is showing up on shelves at a discounted price.  It's a nice on card signature to boot.  Gerrit Cole has battled injuries this season but for his career he is 150-77 with 3.18 ERA.  Amazing career.  

I'm not that high on Heritage as I'm not a huge fan of the all the older designs or the non-action photos.  The standard 2021 Heritage release was more entertaining.  The variety sets it apart from these cards.  As these hit the 80s I'll be more on board..

Great hitting backstop.

Shane McClanahan has had a solid career with the Rays.

This set contains stars not in the earlier set, rookies and players with new teams.  That Trey Mancini is a Chrome Refractor or Chrome Variation #/999...I think.  I repeat, I think, because I can't find any card #/999 on the checklists.  

Some inserts and a Topps All-Star Rookie Cup.  Sure thought Jo Adell would be something big or at least hoped he would be.  I like the vibe on that Rookie Performers card.  Now and Then is nice as well. Tony Gonsolin will miss all of the 2024 season after Tommy John surgery but otherwise has had a solid career.

Stephen Strasburg was the World Series MVP helping the Nationals win their only Championship in 2019.

This box is obviously highlighted by the autograph.  Not sure I'll pick up more of these or the other discounted Heritage boxes, but this one will make me think twice when I do see them.

BREAKDOWN:
72 – Total Cards
18 – RC
2 – SP
1 – Now and Then
1 – Rookie Performers
1 – All-Star Rookie Cup
1 – Real One Autograph
1 – Chrome Refractor #/999