Buzz Break: 2017 Panini Absolute Racing cards (blaster box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Panini Absolute Racing cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 5
Base set completion:  2 of 100 (2 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Brad Keselowski, Jeff Hammond

Rookie Cards – None

Insert cards: 2 (all cards from box in gallery below)
Icons (1) – Jimmie Johnson
Spectrum Silver (1) – Austin Dillon’s Chevy (/299)

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
Absolute Memorabilia Spectrum Silver (1) – A.J. Allmendinger (/99)

What’s Buzz-worthy: These blaster boxes are really just a single pack and they’re ultimately a hobby pack with a hit and then a numbered card and an insert guaranteed. This one wasn’t a bad box to this collector with an impressive piece of sheet metal showing a piece of Allmendinger’s Coors Light Pole Award contingency sticker, which you can see in a sheet metal photo at right. A second numbered insert helped the box and a Jimmie Johnson diecut insert also brought some power to make up for the base cards that included a retired crew chief/broadcaster. (Yes, he was successful — I’m just not sure I’d want crew chiefs in such a small base set.) The retail stores I visited only had one of these per store, so they could dry up fast — or they’re popular — and the possibilities in this product definitely think they might be. Autographs and more are possible in these retail boxes and I’ll include one — one with ink — in next month’s Buzz 12 in 12 breaks marathon.