Random Wax: 2023 Donruss Racing Hobby Box (Part Three)

2023 Donruss:   4X NASCAR Champion Jeff Gordon also finished top 5 in the standings 10X.  And he looks cool in his DuPont flames fire suit.

Third time I'm sharing different cards from this hobby box.  It was a fun box of cards.  Tons of variety, great drivers from all eras, across the different levels and some nice designs.

I'm a big 1990 Donruss guy so these are right in my wheelhouse.  Kyle Larson is 2X NASCAR Champion as well as the reigning champ.

Cool looking Under the Lights insert which may also be a Holographic Parallel?  My bad.  I don't remember.

I always find Elite Series inserts a bit bland, but I like the 2023 design and the way they scan.

Metal Masters, Unleashed and Royalty inserts.  Kyle Busch is my favorite driver in the sport.  He's 40 and nearing the end of his career.  I'd really like to see him have a good season before retiring.  He hasn't finished inside the top 15 in year-end points since 2023.  I like Unleashed.

Always enjoy the car shots.  Unfortunately, they didn't put cars shots in the 2025 set.  Big loss.  They are racing in Martinsville today.  There is some information out now on the 2026 set which is set to release next month.  I like the design and the base set has doubled in size from 2025.  I'm looking forward to it.

With NASCAR's 75th anniversary, they went with a diamond thing going on.  Not my favorite look for Race Kings/Race Queens.  Hailie Deegan is back in NASCAR after a year trying other opportunities.  She's driving in the Arca Menards Series which is NASCAR's lower tier.

That Red Parallel #/299 is one of 3 I pulled in the box.  I like the color it added to the card.  The Labonte and Gant are Silver Parallels.  Terry Labonte was a 2X NASCAR Champion winning in 1984 and 1996.

I really do like these Under the Lights.  We get to see the car, the driver and a good design that scans well.  Kevin Harvick is an all-time great, 1X Champion, and a good listen on the Fox broadcasts and Fox podcast.  His 60 wins have him 11th all-time behind current driver and owner Denny Hamlin.

BREAKDOWN:
192 –Total Cards
60 – 1990 Donruss
34 – Retired Greats
24 – Optic
23 –Race Kings
15 – Silver Parallel
8 – Cars (Basic)
6 – Elite Series
6 – Rated Rookie
4 – Unleashed
4 – Under the Lights
3 – Royalty
3 – Metal Masters
3 – Red Parallel #/299
2 – Revved Up
2 – Power Squad
2 – Race Day Relic
2 – Green Parallel #/99
2 – Navy Blue Parallel #/199
2 – Holographic Parallel #/199
1 – Marvels
1 – Monikers Auto
1 – Red Parallel #/250
1 – Purple Parallel #/49

Random Wax: 2023 NASCAR Donruss

2023 Donruss:   One-time (1X) NASCAR champion Kyle Larson is currently third in the playoff standings in the Round of 12.  He's not had a great stretch of late but he's always a threat to go on a tear as one of the great drivers in the sport.  This is not my favorite Race Kings design, but I like the look of this Larson card.

I'm a big fan of these 1990 Donruss throwback designs like we see for NASCAR greats Bill Elliott and Jeff Gordon.  Great Gordon photo.  The base design is a bit meh to me.  No offense to Kasey Kahne.

Plenty of youngsters in the Donruss sets.  Lawless Alan is doing well this season at one of NASCAR's lower levels (ARCA).  With a name like Lawless I expect great things.

Great representation of ladies in the sport.  Breidinger (Optic) drives in the truck series, Deegan has moved on to the Indy NXT series, and Natalie Decker (Carolina Blue Parallel) recently became the only female driver to drive in NASCAR's Xfinity series after becoming a mom.

I think this is a Bronze Parallel and it looks pretty good.

Here we have a Silver Parallel Mark Martin as well as another Race Kings.  I honestly didn't recognize Richard Petty in that photo.

Some inserts including Royalty which doesn't do a lot for me.  I do like all the color we get on the Metal Masters cards. And Elite Series doesn't exactly feel Elite.

Another good looking Under the Lights card with Daniel Suarez who is looking for a new ride for the 2026 season.

Now that's the iconic Richard Petty look we all know and love.  NASCAR is racing in Kansas today.  We'll see who helps their chances to get into the next round of the playoffs.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

10 – 1990 Donruss

9 – Retired Greats

3 – Carolina Blue Parallel

2 – Optic

2 – Race Kings

2 – Under the Lights

1 – Car

1 - Royalty

1 – Elite Series

1 – Rated Rookie

1 – Silver Parallel

1 – Metal Masters

1 – Bronze Parallel

1 – Checker Parallel

Random Wax: 2023 NASCAR Donruss

 2023 Donruss:  NASCAR playoffs start today at Darlington.  Darrell Waltrip is not only a 3X champion but was one of the great personalities in the sport.  He went toe-to-toe with Dale Earnhardt for a long time and had some great head-to-head races.  He also finished top 10 in the standings 18 times in his amazing career.

Bubba Wallace had a huge win at Indy this year and is locked into the playoff field as is his team owner, Denny Hamlin.

Young drivers from the different levels within NASCAR (Cup, Xfinity, and Truck) all get their time on cardboard.

Another nice Bubba pull on this Optic 1990 Donruss Carolina Blue Parallel.  There are three Optic cards per pack.

Car photos are always fun.

Ben Rhodes is a 2X NASCAR Truck Series Champion.  I'm a big fan of the 1990 Donruss design and like its inclusion here.

Race Queens and Race Kings are always fun.  The diamond is representative of NASCAR's 75th anniversary.  Not a favorite design of mine but I do get a Kyle Busch pull and he's my favorite driver in the sport today.

I like the thought here but more times than not I don't get the "Under the Lights" vibe from the photos.  Kevin Harvick is retired and now an announcer but is a past champion and was top 10 in the standings 18 times including his rookie year.  

Kyle Larson has struggled of late but is one of the great racers in the sport today.  I'm not sure about  the Elite Series inserts.  The design isn't Elite to me, but I like the Dale Jr. pull.

Inclusions of retired greats like Mark Martin is a big part of this set.  Always fun.  I'll be rooting for my favorite drivers, Bubba and Chase Elliott, in the playoffs which run through 2 November.

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
11 – 1990 Donruss 
4 – Retired Greats
3 – Optic
3 – Race Kings/Queens
3 – Carolina Blue Parallel
2 – Elite Series
2 – Under the Lights
1 – Car
1 – Unleashed
1 – Silver Parallel
1 – Bronze Parallel
1 – Checker Parallel

Random Wax: 2023 NASCAR Donruss

2023 Donruss:  NASCAR is back on the track this week after taking a week off.  They'll be at the Talladega Superspeedway.  Chase Elliott is on this Race Kings insert and is 5th in the standings going into this race.

This is one of the two main designs for the cards, and I can't say I'm a big fan.  Kind of blocky and not that appealing.  Some great drivers here including two legends and current driver Denny Hamlin who is 2nd in the standings this season.

Luckily, we do have this great throwback to the 1990 Donruss design of which I'm a huge fan.  Jimmie Johnson won 7 championships, tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most.  Darell Waltrip is a NASCAR great as well and a great personality in the sport.  

Car cards are nice.  I like them but always wished they weren't so cookie cutter in their photos.

The 2023 Race Kings design isn't a favorite of mine.  It is a nod to NASCAR's 75th anniversary.  We have a Red Parallel #/299 and a Carolina Blue parallel.

I like Unleashed and Metal Masters inserts.  Bomb Squad is fine and I'm always happy for Kyle Busch or Jeff Gordon pulls.

Really nice Hailie Deegan pull on this Under the Lights Checkerboard Parallel.

These cards are fun.  Good drivers, the 1990 Donruss look and lots of variety including Optic cards.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

9 – Retired Greats

3 – Diamond Kings

2 – Optic

2 – Race Kings

2 – Carolina Blue Parallels

1 - Unleashed

1 – Elite Series

1 – Red Parallel

1 – Power Squad

1 – Metal Masters

1 – Under the Lights

1 – Red Parallel #/299

1 – Checkerboard Parallel

Random Wax: 2023 NASCAR Donruss

2023 Donruss:  Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon knows a thing or two about racing for championships.  Today NASCAR will crown the 2024 champion at the race in Phoenix.  This is a cool looking Metal Masters insert.

I really like the 1990 Donruss throwbacks in this set.  Danica Patrick is on the base design.

These Revved Up inserts are another colorful insert I like.

I enjoy the retired greats in the set.  Feels like they could have done more with the Royalty inserts.  Power Squad is pretty good.  Two Optic cards in this pack.  

This Race Kings design is not a favorite of mine but it's a play off of NASCAR's 75th Anniversary.  I get it, but it's bland.  We'll end it with Kurt Busch, another past champion who's making his third appearance in this pack.

BREAKDOWN: 

30 – Total Cards

8 – 1990 Donruss

4 – Retired Greats

3 – Race Kings

3 – Carolina Blue Parallel

2 - Optic

2 – Metal Masters

2 – Bronze Parallel

1 – Royalty

1 – Revved Up

1 – Power Squad

1 – Silver Parallel 

1 – Checkers Parallel

Random Wax: 2023 NASCAR Donruss

2023 Donruss:  NASCAR is back at it tonight in Richmond after taking a hiatus during the Olympics due to network coverage.  Kyle Busch is my favorite driver in the sport.  He's a two-time NASCAR Champion but is struggling this season and sits in 18th place going into tonight.  This Race Kings isn't my favorite design.  Optic parallels are common in this set.

Great photo of legend Jeff Gordon rocking the Dupont classic colors he's so well known for.  Love the retired greats in this set which is a big draw to the set.  Bowyer was a favorite of mine as is two-time Champion Terry Labonte.

1990 Donruss is a favorite design of mine, so this Retro 90 take is fun for me.  Really good photos here even if they are fairly standard.

Pretty good design on Under the Lights but this photo doesn't sell me on the race being at night.

Derek Kraus is in his first season of driving at the Cup level.  The Stenhouse Jr. and Kraus cards are Carolina Blue Parallels.

I'm a fan of the Unleashed inserts.  That Brittney Zamora Race Queen gives you a better look at the design which is based off NASCAR's 75th anniversary.  Elite Series doesn't do a lot for me.

I really like the Revved Up insert with the color and good look at the car.

Here we have The King, Richard Petty representing his famous look.  Fun pack and I'm looking forward to racing tonight.  

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

10 – Retro 1990

5 – Retired Greats

3 – Optic

3 – Race Queen/King

3 – Carolina Blue Parallels

2 – Unleashed

1 – Elite Series

1 – Revved Up

1 – Silver Parallel

1 – Under the Lights