Buzz Break: 2020 Panini Chronicles NASCAR cards (blaster)

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The box: 2020 Panini Chronicles NASCAR cards (blaster box)
First Buzz preview: Click here
The cost: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

Packs per box: 4
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 20
Chronicles set completion: 
2 of 40 (5 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Chase Briscoe, Ryan Newman

Inserts: 17 (all in gallery below with some base)
Ascension (1) – Tyler Reddick
Crusade (2) – Richard Petty, Christopher Bell
Illusions (1) – Kyle Larson
Limited (1) – Kevin Harvick
Phoenix (2) – Kyle Busch, John Hunter Nemechek
Score (1) – Kevin Harvick
Score Blue (1) – Jimmie Johnson (/199)
Select (2) – Joey Logano, Daniel Hemric
Spectra (1) – Daniel Hemric
Titan (1) – Hailie Deegan
Titan Holo (1) – Hailie Deegan
Unparalleled (1) – Richard Petty
Victory Lane Pedal To the Metal (1) – Corey Lajoie
Victory Lane Pedal To the Metal Green (1) – Kevin Harvick

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
Chronicles Swatches (1) – Kurt Busch

What's Buzz-worthy: The Chronicles brand takes to the track for the first time with some key newcomers in the mix here that help things out some -- but not as RC-meaty as things are elsewhere -- and with a hit guaranteed in every box ... something not seen elsewhere for this brand. However, these boxes are small and there might be some names you might not want to see line up in bulk -- but this is not one of those boxes. The pair of Hailie Deegan appearances here are a plus, though the Optichrome stock cards arrive a lot more often here compared to, say, NBA Chronicles. The mix of past and present here is a plus, too, with Richard Petty found right alongside Deegan in one pack -- a good touch -- while there are parallels in the mix, too. I liked the minimalist Chronicles base set presence here and I like that these are not forced into all cards being part of a main set. There are a lot of possible finds here (all the info is on an unreadable bottom panel of the box) and I got a solid mix. All in all, a satisfying small-box break but I think some of the brands feel similar to each other at times. The Spectra cards are on their correct thick stock here -- something I missed seeing for Chronicles Draft Picks football cards -- but I feel like the mix needs something slightly different in here to help things out. A diecut card perhaps? The guaranteed hit helps that but they had similar feels (despite being different brands) in the two I opened (one from a premium brand name but a plain swatch). If these can cough up premium-color patch cards and autos that carry a premium feel then these are a no-brainer. Hobby boxes should be a first option if you're sold ... if you just want to dabble with NASCAR these can be fun.

Product Grade: A-
Box Grade: A
Fun Grade: A- (very small boxes here but bolstered by guaranteed hit)

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