Buzz Break: 2021 Panini Chronicles NASCAR cards (blaster)

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The box: 2021 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: 5
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 25
Chronicles set completion: 
2 of 20 (10 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Hailie Deegan, Chandler Smith (RC)

Inserts: 22 (all in gallery below)
Absolute Racing (2) – Aric Almirola, Josh Berry (RC)
Black Pedal To The Metal Green (1) – Ryan Blaney
Contenders Optic (1) – Kody Vanderwal (RC)
Contenders Optic Green (1) – Bayley Currey (RC)
Crusade (1) – Alex Bowman
Limited (2) – Kevin Harvick, Ryan Repko (RC)
Obsidian (1) – Ryan Newman
Phoenix (2) – Natalie Decker, Kyle Larson
Phoenix Silver Holo (1) – Kevin Harvick
Phoenix Green Holo (1) – Josh Williams 
Pinnacle (1) – Josh Berry (RC)
Score (1) – Daniel Suarez
Select (1) – Denny Hamlin
Spectra Variations Celestial Blue (1) – Junebug (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) (/99)
Titan (1) – Austin Dillon
XR (1) – Austin Dillon
XR Green (1) – William Byron
Zenith (1) – Zane Smith
Zenith Green (1) – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
Chronicles Swatches (1) – Aric Almirola

What's Buzz-worthy: Chronicles returns to the track with one more pack vs. last year's blasters and with a hit every time while showcasing the many-sets-in-one approach that makes the band one to rip in any sport. However, a number of the cards here show one of the big challenges for NASCAR ... the photography. Perhaps it's just my box (I suspect it's not) but I think the photo shoots should be adding some variety to the pose routines or work in some props or tire stacks to mix things up. (Perhaps there were still COVID limitations in making this one, I don't know.) The Austin Dillon card at right struck me as especially stiff ("turn to the left!") and it wasn't the only one -- not even the only Dillon card -- that felt like this and that's in part due to the different number of sets (most using studio portrait session photos cut out). If you look back at a ton of sets from NASCAR's past, this isn't a new thing ... but it's definitely something here that stood out. One might imagine how some of the cards here might have more appeal if the portraits had some element of fun added into them ... it might make a brand like this un-beatable. I mean, the photos on the box have a little more expression and a different post on them ... the portrait sessions can't all be robotic business. As far as the cards, the mix was fun and most of them were cleanly cut save for one with a slash across the Optichrome stock and one with some edge gouging likely from packaging. No biggie. I think some variety of images within the brands' designs could make this one a winner every single time out on the track -- especially for the price.

Product Grade: A-
Box Grade: A- (liked the mix and landed a good name for the only numbered card)
Fun Grade: B (Chronicles mix is really fun ... but this one is a showcase of how NASCAR card photos can be really, really, really dull and repetitive)

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