2026 Race #2 @Crystal (ft. Arlie Cooper Jr)

First win now in the bag for Arlie Cooper Jr. Has a lot of momentum heading into Tri-City, but the one thing that might hurt him is confidence. Arlie is ready to take on the next race, his biggest competition tho is his JWR Speedshop teammate Justin Ward.

Tune in to hear me and Arlie talk about Crystal, and everything about Arlie's racing career up to this point.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

From the fast lane to the pit lane. We got you covered for all things racing, where every lap is a chance to make history. With some of the talents you may know and some trying to make a name. This is Fourth and Wrecked. And I'm your host, Matthew Rieger. Hello, everybody. Welcome to the next episode of Fourth and Wrecked Everything Post Crystal Motor Speedway. Man, the racing was completely awesome. And I'm going to tell you what, it was a great show from start to finish. But we we are so excited. I got a special guest. Probably everybody already knows who I'm going to have on. Uh, but it's a driver hailing out of Bear Lake, Michigan, and the ARS Automotive Team Motherstand Real Estate, Epic Realty, Rank and Speed Design, CNC Roofing and Sighting, Yoshimiro JDBR Speed Shop Number 29. Welcome to the podcast, Arlie Cooper Jr.

SPEAKER_04 0:57

Hey man, how's it going?

SPEAKER_03 0:59

Oh, Arlie, dude. I I'm I'm still speechless. I really am. Not just because that race was amazing, um, and how you guys executed on every single level possible. Uh, but just cause I don't know, the feel of being back at the racetrack, you know what I'm saying? Like, I definitely thought I was like, ah, it'll be alright. You know, I missed racetrack a little bit, but that I didn't realize how much that I've missed and valued the friendship and the familieship that we have at the Lightning Experience, and it's definitely something that I I want to get back to, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_04 1:37

Yeah, I do. I mean, everybody that we race with is just great people. Um you know, it's and everyone's there helping you out. So I mean, I we can't ask for a better group of people. Um definitely, you know, Crystal's great facility. That's that's my favorite track by far. Um always put on a good show there, nice fast track. Um, they've got a pretty good program there. So it was good to see everybody again, and uh, it's hard to hard to think that the uh the season's just begun.

SPEAKER_03 2:14

Yeah, seriously, already two races through an 18 race stretch here in 2026 season. Um, but yeah, you talk about it and you said Crystal's your favorite racetrack. I think I'm along the same path. Uh, just because there's two reasons why I like Crystal. Number one, they got a balcony for me to stand on. I didn't stand on it this past weekend. I was kind of more caring about stats and everything else, and I kind of stayed inside. Uh, but reason number two was because they record the races. And for a low, low price of $40, uh, you can look back at like every single race that like Crystal Motor Speedway has. So it's good for me to go back through and record the races. Unfortunately, the race this past weekend uh wasn't they they I they had me tuned down uh compared to your your you guys buzzing out there on the track, I'll tell you that. Um you couldn't really hear me that well comparatively. So a little disappointing, but just to be back at Crystal, it's amazing, you know.

SPEAKER_04 3:14

Oh, most definitely.

SPEAKER_03 3:17

For sure. And like I said, like the atmosphere with everybody at the track and the the whole feel of it, and how like everybody's so nice, everybody's so willing to help out, and just like the friendship and the camaraderie. That's a that's a good one. Um the camaraderie of everybody and how well we get together and how well we get along together. It's just it's great. Yeah, it's like home away from home.

SPEAKER_04 3:46

Yeah, it's no doubt. I mean, after uh after the off season, and then you get back, you just you know, you really don't realize how much you miss everybody, and and and uh you know, it's just everyone's all good friends. I mean, it's like you know, we didn't skip a beat, everyone just clicks meshes back together, and and uh you know, we're all out there for the same reason. It's to have fun, uh have a good race, and um, you know, be be competitive. So uh again, you know, being the second race and seeing everybody out there. I mean, we were missing a couple people, but um, you know, everyone that could make it made it. So I'm sure uh here coming up at Tri-City, it'll be the same way, you know. Hopefully, uh few of the drive a few of the drivers that didn't make it are able to make it this time. Uh I know a few of the guys that were at Crystal had some issues. Um, you know, looking on Facebook, looks like they've got their cars fixed up and and uh you know, should be another great weekend of racing. So I'm I'm really looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_03 4:51

Yeah, absolutely. And hey, let me get let me know uh down in the comments after I post this uh podcast. What if we should rebrand the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints, right? Call it the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints, but be like, hey, welcome to the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints where family come to race. What do you think?

SPEAKER_04 5:12

It's got a ring to it.

SPEAKER_03 5:13

I I feel like it does. And as an announcer, I just came up with that on the top of my head. That's kind of where I get my most and best uh knowledge, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_04 5:23

So yeah, you're pretty good up there. So thank you.

SPEAKER_03 5:27

Thank you. I've been getting a lot of good feedback uh as far as this year, even just starting out this year is concerned, and I feel like we're getting a lot more traction on the page, uh, the fourth and rec page, which I'm kinda liking. And then the video that they posted this past weekend, or actually, was it earlier today? Yeah, it was earlier today. Uh that was great. That that was perfect. Seriously.

SPEAKER_04 5:53

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I you know, even the guys running running our series, I mean, they're all great, great people. Um, you know, we always we always put on a great show. They they do their job, we do our job, and and everything meshes together nicely, and and uh it's you know, I I don't know. I don't know what I'd stuff if I wasn't racing, so don't want to think about that.

SPEAKER_03 6:21

Yeah, seriously, and shout out uh Reva and the other people uh helping out there. Uh I know Aaron was helping out and then Anthony. Uh shout out all of them for helping me put this all together. And like I said, before it got posted, uh it got sent to me on Monday, uh, before I got posted, I sent it to Zach and then also sent it to uh Noah Longyear, the announcer for the traditional sprints, and he was like, dude, this is so awesome. And he's like, I swear my drivers definitely would have put something worse. And I'm thinking of like in the back of my head, and I'm like, I've been with you guys for four years now. Like, I know you guys wanted to put something worse. Like, I I already know you how you guys think.

SPEAKER_04 7:03

Oh, yeah. Well, you know, we got to keep it PG. So um that made it a little difficult because the first things flying off your heads might be uh, you know, something you and your buddies might joke about, but probably wouldn't be the best thing to be saying across there.

SPEAKER_03 7:18

Yeah, for sure. And I definitely thought I was gonna get in trouble for saying porta potty, um, but we slipped it in there and it actually worked out. But that I thought that word was gonna be the hardest. Uh but for those of you listening to the podcast and um haven't looked at the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints Facebook page, um, basically somebody put together a video uh they went around, asked all the drivers, gave me some words to say up in the booth, and I had to say them. And I was able to clip all them and put them in a little video in the video on is online on the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints. There's been 12 shares. So if you've seen it through, I mean Pipgrass Racing's post it. Uh Sheila's posted it. I know my wife has reposted it. There's been a bunch of people who are like really loving this. And I I'm personally really liking it. Uh, but if you guys haven't seen it, uh the words were consistency, hyper, babyback ribs, uh, Donkey Kong, port-a potty, and uh bonus was Noah. I ended up getting all in, but probably the hardest one was babyback ribs, um, for sure. Because port-a-potty was easy after I started to think about it. But like what seriously, what are you gonna say for babyback ribs?

SPEAKER_04 8:34

Well, with the way the race uh ended up going, it uh you made it seem pretty easy to slide that in there.

SPEAKER_03 8:42

I uh like what else, what other way to celebrate your first win with some baby back ribs?

SPEAKER_04 8:50

Yeah, there's no doubt about that.

SPEAKER_03 8:52

I know Dalton Pipcrass is probably thinking something else. Uh he's a big uh Chick-fil-A slash Buffalo Wild Wings guy, so that's how'd he be celebrating. Uh, but definitely for Chad Collie, I think that's how he's gonna celebrate his first win. And if he doesn't, I think I'm gonna be a little bit disappointed. So if I do say something.

SPEAKER_04 9:20

So quite possibly we might have uh some type of barbecue, maybe barbecue baby back ribs that they'll be cooking up. I know Mike said they'd be making brisket for sure, and that's gonna be at the Mount Pleasant race. Yeah, so that sounds like a pretty good deal there.

SPEAKER_03 9:35

Yeah, seriously. Um I was gonna say March 22nd, but no, May 22nd, uh Friday, May 22nd. Uh pits open at like four o'clock. They always they open the latest out of anybody. Uh racing starts at probably 6 30, 7 o'clock. Um, but yeah, Mike said he's gonna have, I think, at least for the drivers, uh, a couple freebies uh for food, and we're gonna have like a little pit party at Mount Pleasant. So I'm I'm super excited for it.

SPEAKER_04 10:03

Uh but uh I'm actually but I mean the the guy's even putting together meals for ten bucks. So I mean you can't you can't beat that.

SPEAKER_03 10:10

No, not at all.

SPEAKER_04 10:11

You're gonna you're gonna spend ten more than ten bucks for a hot dog and a pop up up there at the stand. So we'll see how the track likes that. But I know our stomachs probably will definitely enjoy the some barbecue.

SPEAKER_03 10:23

Well, I definitely you start talking about stomachs, and I definitely had a lot. I know Crystal has uh fried dough. I know we switched from Crystal to Mount Pleasant uh or Mount Pleasant to Crystal. Um, but that hot dog roller in you guys' trailer, it made it smell like Sam's Club. Totally. The like there's no other way to put it.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

Seriously.

SPEAKER_04 10:49

Yeah, we gotta, you know, we gotta fuel, we gotta even fuel our tanks, you know, not only the race car, but we gotta make sure that we're good to go once we hit the track as well.

SPEAKER_03 10:56

So yeah. I mean, you guys are the exact opposite. I know um Dalton, uh, we tried to get him to eat uh for silver bullet, and he said he wouldn't want anything because he doesn't like eating before racing. I was like, man, like why, dude? I gotta be starving, you know.

SPEAKER_04 11:14

He gets too nerved up, so I I can understand that. Sometimes I'll uh you know, I used to be like that, but not so much anymore. But I definitely don't like overeating before I get in that race car. It's hard to fit in there with an empty belly.

SPEAKER_03 11:32

Uh guarantee he's gonna be trying to hard to fit in there uh after eating some baby bag ribs after uh your first win. So no, I'm just kidding. I'm gonna use that one for a long time. That one's gonna stick. I I I really enjoyed that uh little clip at the end there, and it's it's gonna be a highlight reel for sure at the end of this year. So hopefully we'll put it up in uh the uh wards banquet, so that'll be nice.

SPEAKER_04 11:57

I'm sure, I'm sure it will be.

SPEAKER_03 12:00

Yeah, for sure, dude. No, but uh yeah, that was a little fun thing to do. I wish we could do it for like other tracks, but I know Tri-City doesn't record the races. Um, the only time they did was when we were on flow. Um then the other one would be Merit, but I'm not making Merit this season, unfortunately. Uh Merit Date.

SPEAKER_04 12:20

Oh man, that's a bummer. Usually we put a pretty good show on there.

SPEAKER_03 12:24

Uh yeah, you almost got your first win there. That was close.

SPEAKER_04 12:29

Yeah. Yep. Yep. So a lot of a lot of close calls over the last couple years.

SPEAKER_03 12:35

Yeah, that the the race this year is on a Thursday. Uh, I got two Thursday races. We got Ionia uh and Merritt. But the good thing about Merritt for a lot of people uh is it's gonna be like their quote unquote Friday because it's July 4th weekend, so a lot of people get Friday off. So the their Thursday is gonna be the new Friday.

SPEAKER_04 12:54

Um yeah, yeah. So um, and then that'll be cool too, because 4th of July, they always put on fireworks, stuff like that. So it'll definitely be a pretty good show at Merritt as well.

SPEAKER_03 13:06

I believe we actually July 3rd we go to Mount Pleasant as well. And I know they do fireworks uh through three and four or off the back near three and four, or there's like a hotel near it uh that does fireworks, I believe.

SPEAKER_04 13:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 13:22

I think so. I think they did it like the past two years, even that when if even when it wasn't 4th of July weekend, uh they blew off fireworks at Mount Pleasant. But yeah, that's when it's gonna be that July 3rd date. So I will be able to make it.

SPEAKER_04 13:35

Yeah, I believe it's uh believe that's soaring eagle.

SPEAKER_03 13:39

Yeah, that uh water park.

SPEAKER_04 13:43

Yeah, either the water park or over by the casino. You know, they own, you know, it's the reservation, they they put on a good show, so yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 13:51

And so do we at Mount Pleasant.

SPEAKER_04 13:54

Yeah, yeah, tip typically we do. So um that's another fast track. Uh it's the track isn't ever consistent. You never know how it's gonna be when you get there. And then uh, but usually, I mean we put on we put on a great show and and uh able to to build up a lot of speed on there, so it's a nice fast track and and a lot of a lot of battling out there, so a lot of good race and which was good for the fans.

SPEAKER_02 14:23

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 14:25

All right, I want to come back a little bit. I would we're getting too far out ahead. Um, let's go back. First of all, after your victory from Crystal, we're gonna break it all down. Uh, but the day after, what was it like knowing that like you guys actually finally did it? You know, four year or five years of hard work finally paying off. Uh the lightning storms posted this, but the your 48th start, you finally get to victory. Like, what what was like the day after like for you guys?

SPEAKER_04 14:56

Uh I mean, I was still kind of on cloud nine. I mean, it's super exciting for me. Um, you know, like you said, I've I put a lot of hard work and uh into into my race program here, and um, you know, last year I I man, I I tried and tried and tried. Um, and I've got the same car this year, and and everything just kind of there at Crystal. I mean, it's like all the stars aligned, and uh, you know, we had we had the right setup for the track and and we were fast, and and it was it was nice to be able to put that car out front and uh you know show what I could do out there. So um I felt good. Uh as a driver, the car felt great. Um definitely, definitely moving out there. And uh, you know, the next thing I was I was super excited about it still, but at the same time in the back of my head, I'm trying to think of you know what I gotta do to get ready for this next race because I mean the work never stops. Um, you know, I worked worked all day yesterday and daughter's softball game, and then went and washed the car and kind of prepped it for the night and worked all day today. I'm actually just getting done working on the car. Um, and you know, just a couple couple things to touch up, but for the most part, you know, we went through and uh checked the chassis and and uh you know went through it and and we're pretty much ready to go. So um yeah, super excited about this next race and and hoping to be able to uh you know carry on some of that that speed to this track too. So I don't uh I don't plan on slowing down at all and uh you know keep giving it my best and and hopefully we're gonna be you know putting this uh number 29 car out front more often.

SPEAKER_03 16:51

Yeah, for sure. And I know we talked about in the offseason, uh, the first episode of season four uh was how much work and effort goes into these cars. You know, it's more than just hey, unload, go to the racetrack, qualifying, come back, and yeah, there's more time that comes on at the shop, and especially for a team like JWR Speed Shop and a team like LCA Motorsports, like you look at LCA, like they were gearing up, ready for silver bullet, and they knew they didn't have all their ducks in a row, but they had to get back and they know they had to jump in the swing and things, and uh it's gonna set them behind, but they're a fast team, they've all gone to victory lane. You know, Chad Listerman has, uh, Jacob Shabai has, and Grayson Thompson. I'm really excited to for the speed to see out of him. Uh you know what I'm saying? But like that team right there, they're ready, they're geared up, they know what they need to do, and the same with JWRP Chop. You know, they these are the guys putting in time behind the scenes. That when they go up in front of the fans, it's not just like, oh, oh yeah, woo, they're here. It's the hard work and the dedication. That way, at the end of the night, when you come out of turn four, celebrate with baby back ribs, and go get your first win at Crystal Motor Speedway, it's feels a lot more relieving. And I asked Jerry this, and I was like, How was your first win when you broke through? And he's like, I felt we were at an all-time low, and then after we won it, it's like, hey, we can do it. And now you gearing up with that confidence after Crystal and how much you guys have put in. I mean, your rookie season, um, the my rookie season uh in the lightning sprints, we go through the first ten races, and then like the last three out of the six, you blew an engine. You blew an engine. You blew an engine. I mean, it was like week after week after week of DNFs for you guys, but now you look at this season and you guys are didn't really have sp ever had speed at Silver Bullet, you guys finished second, and then you guys never really or you guys had good speed at Crystal but can never could capitalize on a good finish, uh and then you guys like walk on the field, you know what I'm saying? I mean the you're talking about the uh energy and the time that has to be put in. It makes it so much more relieving for when you go to victory lane.

SPEAKER_04 19:19

Oh, definitely. I mean uh you know, you feel you feel well accomplished. I mean, uh it's it gets tough and and it's and it's frustrating when you're putting all this work in and then you have these issues. Um, you know, I always like to contribute it to luck. You know, it's nice to have a little bit of luck on your side. Um, I feel like I had a little bit of luck on my side here at Crystal. Um, you know, I I made sure I I did everything I could with the car to be sure I was ready, but that little bit of luck, that was that was the car being on point. And uh, you know, uh if anyone watches that video, you can you can see. I mean, we weren't we weren't messing around and we were really getting it around that track. Um I feel like that's probably the best I've ever drove. And uh, and like I said, you know, I've been I've been I've been working and watching and trying to figure new stuff out. And uh at the end of last year, we really made some strides forward with the car, and that's carrying on to this year. And and we're just making sure that we're as ready as we can be before we show up to the track. So that way when we get to the track, if we decide to make any changes, it's not a huge deal because we've got to do this first and do that. So, you know, it's it's real important to make sure the car is ready when you get to the track instead of working on it at the track to try to get it out there to race. Um, you know, it's it's gonna make everything a lot tougher for you. But no, you're exactly right. I I man, I just I feel great about it. It was a great win. Um, you know, and not only that, not only we won the feature, but man, we swept the night. So that's the first time that I've done anything remotely close to that. So that made me feel made me feel good as a driver, as a car owner, and and like I said, I mean we're not we're not slowing down, and uh we're gonna keep pressing forward and and hopefully keep uh keep bringing top-notch car to the track to uh put on a heck of a show.

SPEAKER_03 21:26

Yeah, and dude, and seriously, and for those of you that um haven't really watched Crystal Motor Speedway TV, uh weren't really tuning into timing, uh MyRacePass is like one of my favorite tools to kind of help me analyze the weekend and how your stats are from Crystal currently, and how your stats are looking forward to Tri City. The stats that you have from this pack week past weekend at Crystal, like I said, your best finish was fourth, but You talk about how fast you were. You were tenth faster than everybody in qualifying, tenth faster than Justin. More, even more with the entire field. I don't know if you know this, uh, but you were seven tenths faster than everybody in your heat. I don't know. I don't know if you ever looked at that. Um and then we touched on it earlier, uh, when before we were talking, um, you were half a second faster than everybody in the entire field during the feature.

SPEAKER_04 22:33

So when we talk about dominance on average, so we did notice that.

SPEAKER_03 22:37

Yeah. So when we talk about dominance, I mean, this is this your first ever race win comes in a perfect night. Congratulations, Charlie. You know?

SPEAKER_04 22:47

Yeah, thanks again. Thanks again. So, I mean, I'm still grinning ear to ear. Um, like I said, hope it's not the last time, but uh we're definitely uh, you know, we're not gonna let the wind go to our head and just think that everything's gonna be hunky dory after this. I mean, you know, any there's a so many drivers that could break out like that any night. So, I mean, if you're not coming there on top of your game, it it you know, you're gonna have a rough night. Um, it's it's some good competition out there, and and uh, you know, everybody's wanted to beat my teammate Justin there. Um Mr. Consistency himself, but uh for me, for me winning like that this last race, that definitely that definitely made me feel pretty good. So, because I've always looked up to Justin and he's helped me a ton. So, I mean I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing right now with with the car without all of his help.

SPEAKER_03 23:46

Seriously. And I know how close you guys are in friends, um, number one. Number two, like I know you guys told me y'all were messing with each other, um, but that's kind of like the the brotherly love and the brotherly friendship that you guys have created. Um, that like when you go to the racetrack, it's yeah, you're friends, but you you leave it all on the line. I mean, we talked about it after Silver Bullet, and you were like, oh, I was thinking about moving him, but nah, I wouldn't do that to him. I wouldn't do that to anybody. And we're like, yeah, yeah, you wouldn't, you know, because you're calculated, you're patient, and you knew that you were faster, but there's kind of no way to get around. But today, yesterday or yesterday, Crystal, you knew you were faster and you showed up and you you did awesome, you know.

SPEAKER_04 24:37

Yeah, I mean, you know, like I said in the beginning, Crystal's such a great race facility, and and it it's a track where it's you know, you could run more than one lane. Um, you know, silver bullets usually a pretty fast track, too. But I I think just because it was so cold, um, you know, it was just we were just throwing dirt up the track. So uh the only place for where there was traction was down low. And uh, you know, Justin, his line, I mean, it was taken taken up everywhere where there was traction. So every time I come in and try to go up above them, or I couldn't, you know, there's no traction, and then there just wasn't any room to try to nose my way through the bottom because I would either hit him or hit a tire, and I'm not trying to wreck him or wreck my car at the same time either. So um, you know, to to come to Silver Bullet and start the season um as as well as we did. I mean, uh the season is starting off great. I couldn't ask for any more. Um, I just I just really hope and pray that this continues to be the way the season goes this year because um I'm I'm gonna be trying to win this championship myself, just along with everyone else. So uh Justin knows I'm I'm just as eager to to take home the championship as as he is to win another one.

SPEAKER_02 26:02

So oh yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_04 26:04

It'll it'll definitely be some real good competition between me and him. And uh I'm sure you know, you know, once Jay gets the bugs worked out of his car, getting back into it, I know he's gonna be great competition. And um, you know, some of the other guys are you know they look like they might be struggling a little bit here at the beginning of the season, but they shake the butterflies off. You know, there's gonna be plenty of competition out there. I think any night, five or six of us could win win a feature.

SPEAKER_02 26:33

Yeah, for sure. For sure.

SPEAKER_03 26:37

But uh we're soaking it all in, but I got two kind of fun questions to toss out to you. You kind of know one of these already, but I'm gonna I'm gonna throw it to you. Um, besides yourself, okay, who do you think could dethrone Justin for this year's championship?

SPEAKER_04 26:58

Uh I want to say Bill. Um Bill's last year's super fast. This year, I mean, he's he's right there where he's always been at. He's another one of these guys. He's he's pretty consistent, and um Bill's the kind of guy that if he's he puts his mind to it, he could uh he could easily dethrone Justin.

SPEAKER_03 27:22

Yeah, absolutely. For sure. I like that. He was actually my pick last year, and uh, I know we talked about it a little bit um earlier last year. Uh, but he he was doing really good, but he was running through wings at the end of the season uh like tires, you know, and it was pretty bad for him. Uh but you know you talked about it earlier. You get a little luck on your side, and he might, he might.

SPEAKER_04 27:49

So yeah, yeah. You know, you never know.

SPEAKER_03 27:53

So all right. Next fun question for you. Which uh super sprint driver could you beat if you guys were on the same setup, same car? Who could you be?

SPEAKER_04 28:09

Well, I don't think I could be anybody in a super sprint car that runs super sprints and put me in a super sprint. I just I don't have experience with that that much horsepower and and in that kind of a car. Um if you put someone in a lightning sprint, you know, I'm I'm not sure. I uh that that'd be a hard one to say, you know.

SPEAKER_03 28:40

I was about to say, there's one name I know you if you have a lot of confidence in yourself, there's one name I know you probably wouldn't pick.

unknown 28:49

Is that Max?

SPEAKER_03 28:51

No, Jack Nichols.

SPEAKER_04 28:53

He already has uh Jack Nichols, yeah, in a lightning sprint.

SPEAKER_03 28:57

So yeah, previous success.

SPEAKER_04 29:00

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, uh I never raced against Jack Nichols, and um, you know, it sounded like, you know, the way that Justin talks about them, those guys just had their program down, but um you never know. I mean, might give the guy a run for his money.

SPEAKER_03 29:19

Yeah, for sure. Who depending on who you might say, I might get him on the podcast and see if they can uh uh put you up to it, put you uh put you to the test. So do you do you have any names?

SPEAKER_04 29:32

No, I don't. I I just can't think of anybody.

SPEAKER_03 29:35

Okay, that's fine. I uh somebody else gave me the idea. So I will also be coming and asking other drivers who could dethrone Justin uh besides yourself. Um so it's uh just just keep you in the back of your heads uh for all you drivers listening, uh, you know. And I'm just curious, kind of curious who Justin would pick, you know. Oh, never mind, I know who he'd pick.

SPEAKER_04 30:04

You know who he'd pick, huh?

SPEAKER_03 30:06

Yeah, I mean, I uh is it the obvious answer? I mean, I feel like it would be.

SPEAKER_04 30:13

I don't I'm not sure. So I mean like drivers, so you get them on the right night, they're they're hard to touch.

SPEAKER_02 30:22

Yeah, for sure. For sure.

SPEAKER_03 30:26

Well, one thing I will pull up is a point standings as we stand. Post two races after Silver Bullet and Crystal. Justin Ward stands on top of the point standings at 486, tied with the man, the myth, the Coop, Harley Cooper Jr. at 46. Dalton Pipcras at 440, he's 46 off of Justin. Chad Listerman stands in fourth with 430 points. Bill Dunham fifth, 427. David Hillicker, I honestly think David, if he continues to run a full season, with how incredible he is on dirt, whether it's a late model, whether it's a lightning sprint, he could run up and get a top 10 in points. Seriously.

SPEAKER_04 31:10

Oh, defin definitely. He's uh he's definitely a strong runner. So um they uh you know they make they make what they're running pretty fast. So uh he'd he'd definitely be a top ten guy.

SPEAKER_03 31:25

Yeah, him and uh Ryan Lanfield, shout out Ryan. Uh he finished like second at Mount Pleasant like every time they ran. Uh that being Ryan. Do you remember when he blew up on the front straightaway?

SPEAKER_04 31:37

After the race was done?

SPEAKER_03 31:38

Yeah, after the race, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 31:40

Yeah, I was right behind him.

SPEAKER_03 31:42

Oh, that was funny. Not funny, funny. It was funny, it's funny after. Uh, but like in the moment, I'm like, oh, that was so scary. But then it was like I talked to him after, and he's like, Oh, dude, that was that was awesome. I want to do that again.

SPEAKER_02 31:54

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:57

It's like you're crazy, dude. No, I'm just kidding. But a good type of crazy, you know, we all gotta be some sort of crazy, can't be uh all normal. If it come on, can you imagine if everybody was normal? That'd be boring. Somebody's gotta be crazy.

SPEAKER_04 32:10

Yeah, you want to it can't be too uptight.

SPEAKER_03 32:13

Yeah. Ah, man. Continuing down the point standings, Bob Miller, seventh at 399, Jerry at eighth with 379, Chad Collie 322. Al Stanton rounds at the top 10 with 269. What did you think about uh Matt Cogley being back? Are you excited about that?

SPEAKER_04 32:34

Yeah, it's always uh good to see Matt. Um, you know, Matt and Beth are great people. Um he came up just to have a little bit of fun and take a break from his busy life down there running Millstream and everything else they got going on. But uh it was uh it was good to see him out on the track.

SPEAKER_03 32:54

Yeah, I will tell you, I got a one vivid uh race memory uh with Matt Coggley, and it's before like I even ever started announcing. I drove up to the racetrack, and the I was following their trailer for like the past hour and a half because we're we're both in high Ohio. They're they're based out of Finley. Uh I'm based out of Lima, like two, I'm like two seconds away from Lima land. But I'm driving up and I'm following them, and they're they they drive pretty fast. Matt on and off the racetrack, it drives super fast. I'll tell you what. Like I was in my little my four-banger civic trying to keep up with them, and we ended up getting to the racetrack, and I ended up talking with Brooke. Uh, I was like, Yeah, I don't know any of the drivers here. Can you help me out? And she started walking around, showing me all the drivers, and like I walked up to Matt and I was like, Matt Coggly, and I was like, That's you, and then I was like, Man, I followed you the whole way up. And he like started like glancing around and like looking me dead in the eyes, and he's like, Were you driving the blue civic? And I was like, Yeah, and he's like, Ah, you come here, you and it was funny. Well, it was one of my favorite memories with Matt. Seriously. Man, I was like, uh, was it recollecting? Is that is that is that the word for it when you like look back on certain memories?

SPEAKER_04 34:24

Is that a reminiscing?

SPEAKER_03 34:26

Reminiscing. That that's right. Thank you. Shout out to my wife, my most beautiful wife. She is so amazing. Um, anyways, back to the podcast. No, yeah, reminiscent about the old times. But I will tell you, me and Justin have had this talk, I think once or twice a year, uh, since like I've ever met him. The first time I ever met Justin, I'll I'll say this like legitly on the podcast. The first time I ever met Justin, I was like, dude, this guy is this guy stinks. Like, I for me, I have what's called social pragmatic communication disorder. Uh, so sometimes I have trouble picking up jokes, you know what I'm saying? So, like when I joke around with people and then they're they like they're totally serious, I'm like, oh, my bad. I'm sorry. But first ever race, Brooke walked me over to Justin. We're sitting at the edge of the trailer, y'all are chit-chatting. I don't know who was there. You might have been there on the trailer, but Brooke walked me up and was like, Hey, this is Justin. I was like, Hey, Justin, um, my name is Matt. I'm the announcer. And he's like, Um, I'm not Justin. I'm like, you just told me you're Justin. And I was like, okay, well, you so either Burke's lying to me or this guy is lying to me. And he's like, nah, I'm just kidding. I'm Justin. And I was like, oh, okay. Um, I got a question for you. He's like, What? I'm not Justin. I was like, come on, dude. Oh, man. The the one thing that made it even funnier was that we're we're going up back to the top, first time ever announcing, pulling up the booth, and this is the only time they've ever asked me this question. They're like, hey, so who do you think's gonna win the race? And I'm thinking to myself, like, I don't know. But like the first thing that came to my head was like, oh, anybody but that ward guy. But right, yeah, Mac Erickson ended up winning that race. But seriously, I I've come a long way uh since season one. And we I'm we both have, you know. You started 22, I started 23. Um, we've both come a long way, and it's it's been a it's been quite a journey, you know.

SPEAKER_04 36:35

It has. It has.

SPEAKER_03 36:37

Oh man. I love I love these funny stories. I really do. Seriously. You got any funny stories? Like I'm I'm ready. I'm here. I'm here.

SPEAKER_04 36:52

I can't think I can't think of anything right now. I'm pretty known out. Oh right. Trying to get trying to get everybody. There's been some funny times, you know, maybe a few things that I can't can't t say on the podcast, but I can't think of uh I can't think of anything off the top of my head.

SPEAKER_03 37:16

Yeah. For sure. Well, I was thinking, uh man, I had it. I had it and I was gonna say something else, but then I was like, yep, that probably not gonna say that. We I can't I can tell you about it later. But uh man, what was the other thing? Man, there's there's just been so much. I don't know. I've been super into podcast um recently. You know who John Christ is?

SPEAKER_04 37:46

I've heard the name, but I don't I I I don't think I know who it is.

SPEAKER_03 37:51

He's a stand-up Christian comedian.

SPEAKER_04 37:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 37:54

Um I've recently stumbled on his podcast and I've been listening to his podcast, and I've been trying to implement like a lot of what he does into my podcast. He he kind of keeps it like chillaxed, you know what I'm saying? And kind of keeps like a conversation going. You know, we have like a certain topic we want to talk about, but you know, it's kind of like a general conversation rather than just you know me barking questions or him just barking questions at people, or like he'll join along with the questions, but he'll like jump off and like they'll have it's it's very interesting to listen to. He's gotten like a lot of influential names on his podcast. Uh I just listened to one with him and Tim Tebow. That one is a great one. I'm I'm I'm plugging his podcast right now. If you do want to listen, it's called Net Positive. Uh, it's been like I've been trying to get catch some inspiration. Uh, but I was also told uh Chad Collie's always giving me like information on like how to make my podcast, you know, just that little much better. Uh he told me to start listening to Horsepower Happenings, and they do a segment where Zach Heiser and Jared Hoffman they kind of pick somebody once a month and do like a little interview. And I was like, oh, that's cool. But I was like, I don't man, I don't want to steal their idea.

SPEAKER_04 39:11

But that's why I kind of wanted to be able to spin something off of it. But um yeah, definitely. I mean, I I uh I work by myself, so I I listen to lots and lots of podcasts, and uh it's definitely a good way to um you know expand your views and and then uh get new information and just hear different people's opinions. That'll definitely help you along the way as well.

SPEAKER_03 39:36

Yeah, absolutely. Like I said, if you're looking for another podcast, it's called NetPositive. Uh I I listen on Apple Podcast. Uh, but that one, that one's been a good one that I've been listening to. Uh, if you know, I got another one for you. It's called Fourth and Rect. If you ain't listening, you should be listening.

SPEAKER_04 39:54

I haven't heard of that. I haven't heard of that one.

SPEAKER_03 39:56

No, man, I feel like it's a pretty influential podcast for the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints. I'm surprised you haven't heard it yet.

SPEAKER_04 40:03

Uh no, that's a good it's a good one. I definitely uh keep up with that that podcast. Every time you post something, I'm making sure I listen to it, trying to share it.

SPEAKER_03 40:14

I I feel like this will be a good one. You know what I'm saying? Trying to keep it chillaxed, you know. This is a podcast. We are talking about the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints, but you know, we're here as a family, you know. I've even come to you for life advice. Seriously.

SPEAKER_04 40:28

Yeah, and I'm always happy to be there, you know. Hopefully, hopefully I'm telling you stuff that's helping you out.

SPEAKER_03 40:35

Yeah, especially with my car.

SPEAKER_04 40:42

Uh uh, I feel like that's the only reason you talk to me.

SPEAKER_03 40:46

Um I'm not gonna deny it. I'm just no. No, dude, I I will say I'll come back to Crystal real quick. The for photos that Reva got this weekend, oh my word. The one with you and Tracy, that was an incredible profile picture. Seriously.

SPEAKER_04 41:11

Yeah, I mean Reva, she does such a great job as a photographer. Um man, no complaints there. So uh I guess if I had to complain about it, maybe she needed to take a few more pictures, I guess, because they're so good, you just can't get enough of them.

SPEAKER_03 41:27

Yeah, right. Seriously. But uh no, she also made that uh video. So that one was awesome. Also, there's another photographer roaming around. Uh he was uh with us at Silver Bullet, Mike Powell. Um, but Reva, her pot or her page on Facebook is over the limit images. Um great work. Mike Powell, the images that he did for us, those are great. Uh seriously. I love always going back through and like you don't really see it as much for like the NASCAR Cup series or the what is it, the O'Reilly Auto Parts series now.

unknown 42:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 42:06

Uh or the like the truck series. You don't really see it for those higher, but you do see it for like us. And I kind of like looking back at the pit photos and you know, trying to find myself and all of them and using them as like profile pictures and stuff, but yeah. The pictures were great.

SPEAKER_04 42:22

Yeah, I mean it's it's it's you know, that's who you are, and that's what you're doing. So it's nice to you don't even realize you're having your picture taken, and and you know, with Revolve, all of them turn out great. So um, you know, there was there's a couple of me that I really like, so I always try to save those, and and uh, you know, and then when they're on your phone, then you got all these memories. So as the years go on, you're like, holy smokes, you know, and and uh the you you know the years just fly by, and the older you get, the faster it goes. So yeah, gotta enjoy as much as we can.

SPEAKER_03 43:00

All right. So I was thinking about it, right? I was talking to my wife. You gotta make Crystal Motor Speedway win sweatshirts. You gotta talk to Crystal, see if you can get like something made because your paint scheme this year looks absolutely fire. The new number, the new paint style. I know you guys and Justin are like basically copy and pasting each other, but like different numbers, different colors. But you guys like incredible, and especially now, like after going to Victory Lane, like I told you this last week when I was working on my car. I was like, I use your sweatshirts to like go out and work on my car because they're ARS automotive sweatshirts, so like gonna be used for automotive purposes. But right, you if you use a you get a new sweatshirt with like the your car on the front or like something on the back, like with like a wind sticker or something, you know, and oh dude, I'm just thinking about it. That'd be great.

SPEAKER_04 43:56

Yeah, we're definitely gonna get some uh new swag for. This year. Um, wanted to last year, but just just couldn't swing it last year. And then uh, but yeah, the you you're exactly right. Um we uh we're definitely getting shirts and sweatshirts again this year. Uh we'll have those for sale at the track. Um usually like to try to give a few away to the crowd, you know, keep them fans wanting to come back to the track. So without the without the fans in the stands, I mean we we want to be able to do what we're doing, and and I really love being out there racing and and uh putting on a show.

SPEAKER_03 44:37

Yeah, absolutely. And I also listened to another podcast, right? And they were talking about how the fans, that's our next generation of racers, especially the little kids. That's our next generation racers. So if they're not enjoying coming to the racetrack, then they're not gonna want to get into it. You know what I'm saying? So like we gotta hype up the crowd. We gotta that's my job, right? My job is to hype up the crowd. So when you guys go out there and you guys put on a show, like they're leaving them like, man, that was great. Even though you guys probably put on the better show, you know what I'm saying? Because they don't even hear me when you guys are going out there. But yeah, seriously, they're our next generation.

SPEAKER_04 45:19

It's still it's the whole experience, and uh, you know, it's keeping these kids involved with it. Um, they are the next generation, but you know, folks gotta realize too that it's not like there's an age limit on racing. Um uh, you know, we've talked before, and and the whole the whole thing that got me started racing was we built a race car for my wife's grandpa at 75 years old.

SPEAKER_01 45:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 45:46

So he uh and and that was that was a different class at Cherry Speedway. And uh, you know, he inspired a few older guys to you know, like, hey, this guy can do it, I can do it, you know. So we had we had a few older guys in there running it and living their best life. I mean there's not an age limit on it. If you if you're if you're uh you know somewhat healthy and able, I mean, why not do it? So, you know, it's it'd be great to see more people start uh you know getting into this lightning sprint class. I mean, we me and Justin try to promote it as much as we can, and and uh it'd be nice to see, you know, have an average of 20 cars a night and and then you know just have more than that. Wouldn't it be pretty cool to be having B mains and and and you know a 20-car field to race through? And man, they would that would just make the experience so much better for the fans. Um, it would definitely improve a lot of our drivers because more people would be going through lab traffic, and that's that's where we're getting better.

SPEAKER_03 46:57

Yeah, absolutely. But uh the one thing I will tell you is you you mentioned the older drivers. I mean, look at Bill Dunham, look at uh Johnny Roberts. You know, I I'd say those are the probably the two oldest drivers that race with us.

SPEAKER_04 47:10

You know, I know Johnny hasn't raced since Bill Bill's race forever, though, too. So what I'm trying I guess what I'm trying to say is is it's it's never too late to start.

SPEAKER_03 47:21

Yeah. So you think I can get a ride?

SPEAKER_04 47:28

Hey, we've been trying to put you in a car for a while. You just uh I don't know if you're just too scared or what's going on.

SPEAKER_03 47:36

It's not my it's not me that's scared, it's my wallet that's scared.

SPEAKER_04 47:40

Ah, it's everyone's excuse.

SPEAKER_03 47:42

Well, yeah, but like what if uh man, who's gonna announce in the booth? Who's gonna be the awesome announcer up in the booth if I step in a race car?

SPEAKER_04 47:51

I thought you'd have Sheila step up there for you.

SPEAKER_03 47:54

See uh man, we talked about this too. I don't know if Sheila was man, I don't did she say she was able? No, I think she said she wasn't. She didn't want to. Like she definitely like appreciates the like the feedback and appreciates like all the support, but she wouldn't. Who would?

SPEAKER_04 48:17

Who would now that we're thinking about to be tough, you know? I mean, and uh, you know, just just about like getting in these cars. I mean, you're just nerved up, and and then after after a little bit of time goes by, and the more you do it, the easier it gets. I mean, look at you. I mean, you're you know, we tried to challenge you with some words and you you flawlessly did it without even thinking, and uh, and you were all worried that you weren't gonna be able to fit those words in. So um, yeah, yeah, experience, that's what it's all about.

SPEAKER_03 48:50

Yeah, um, Justin gave me the word consistency, so I'd call the Mr. Consistency on the pot on the on the uh no hyper, that one was too easy. All I had to do was say something about your chassis, and that was pretty easy.

SPEAKER_04 49:04

So yeah, but you used it on Chad when he had his hench crafts out there.

SPEAKER_03 49:10

Did I? No, that was I was talking about you. That that they had the video on Chad, but I was talking about you.

SPEAKER_04 49:17

Oh, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03 49:19

Because you were the one that went to the top with a 14-4-5-3.

SPEAKER_04 49:23

I was trying to give you like an alley oo.

SPEAKER_03 49:25

So that one was too easy. Like he was that was a gimme. Like I could have used like here he comes, next driver on the racetrack, heels out of Benzoni, Michigan, and the JWR speed of job, Yoshi Murrah, ARS automotive, number eight, it's Justin Ward, Mr. Consistency of the hyper racing chat. Like that, boom, two words already in like a quick sentence with just Justin, you know?

SPEAKER_04 49:50

Yup, too.

SPEAKER_03 49:51

Too easy.

SPEAKER_04 49:52

Yeah, but you could have been like, hey, seen this guy jumping out of the porta potty, jump in his car.

SPEAKER_03 50:01

I seriously, when I first thought of that word, I was like, What how am I supposed to implement that in? Like, there's no way. Like, I'm you you saw the video. I'm thinking to myself, like, how there's no way you guys are gonna allow me to say this. Aaron didn't say no. I never got a no from Anthony, nobody ever said no. But then I was going to look back through Crystal. I was driving back with the Pipgrasses, and it's like one o'clock in the morning, and I'm scrolling through, and I thought they cut our heats out. Like, our heats were so quick, went by so fast. I thought they cut them out of the thing. I was like, oh, I said pour to potty and they cut the races. I'm sorry, guys. And I thought we were cooked, man.

SPEAKER_04 50:46

Uh seriously. I mean, well, we go out there and we put on such a quick show. I mean, there's no him hawing around, and we go out there and we we run some pretty fast lab times, so I think we're uh I'm pretty sure we're the fastest thing at the track.

SPEAKER_03 51:01

Yeah, how mean you were this past weekend?

SPEAKER_04 51:06

I tried. I mean that was uh that was my goal. So yeah. Um you know, we hit our marks and uh and it and it showed.

SPEAKER_03 51:17

Yeah, for sure. I will tell you, we were walking out. Anthony looked at me and he's like, hey, that was like uh less than eight minutes. He said like seven minutes and twenty seconds, flag to flag for a feature.

SPEAKER_04 51:30

With the caution.

SPEAKER_03 51:31

With the with the caution, correct, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 51:34

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 51:34

So actually oh, I almost hung up on you. Um that wouldn't have been good. I'm gonna look at timing real quick because it'll actually pull up what actually it was. Yep, seven minutes and fifty-eight seconds. Flagged flag.

SPEAKER_04 51:54

Yeah, that's pretty quick.

SPEAKER_03 51:56

I know. Seriously. No, but yeah, looking forward to Tri-City on uh Friday up in Auburn, Michigan. Uh don't miss it, don't forget it. Whoever goes to Victory Lane, I'll meet you guys on the front straight away. You guys know that. It's one of my favorite tracks. Missed it all last year, but um really hoping for uh a good one this year.

SPEAKER_04 52:21

Yeah, me too. Um it was a shame that we couldn't run there uh last year, you know. But we'll uh we'll we'll see what this year brings. So um I know I know uh Team JWR here, we're uh we're coming to play, so we uh we're ready and uh you know we hope hope all the other drivers are ready as well. So um should be one hell of a show.

SPEAKER_03 52:50

Yeah, I got a little bit more stat digging to do, a little more homework uh to do, but um getting it ready, everything ready, prepped for um Tri-City this weekend, and uh it'll be great for sure. For sure.

SPEAKER_04 53:06

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_03 53:08

See Arlie, I called you more than just working on my car. Man. I know. I'm just messing with you. Well, you got your wipes? Clean off your hands from those ribs.

SPEAKER_04 53:29

Yeah, had to use uh had to use a little bit of degreaser on that.

SPEAKER_03 53:34

Oh, that's awesome. No, uh, hopefully we can get some more words up this weekend. Um, I'll find out a way to record them. Um maybe post them to the podcast uh for those that really can't access Facebook. So yeah, it's been great. Really appreciate uh you, Arlie, taking the time. And it's it was a great episode, really for sure. Great episode.

SPEAKER_04 53:56

So yeah, well, thanks thanks for having me on.

SPEAKER_03 54:01

So yeah, it's always a great time to have you on, and um I guess we'll get you back on in the offseason, right? Yeah, definitely. Sounds good. All right, brother. Well, have a safe one and uh we'll see you at Tri City.

SPEAKER_04 54:20

Sounds good, Matt. See you soon.

SPEAKER_03 54:22

All right, peace.

SPEAKER_04 54:24

Later.

SPEAKER_03 54:27

Have you ever gone to the racetrack and you saw a paint scheme that you absolutely fell in love with? Well, look no further than DCR Graphics. For all your graphic designs, from wraps to banners, stickers, die cast, hats, hoodies, shirts, and even flags, turn to DCR Graphics. Find DCR Graphics on Facebook or by calling 419-308-9523. If you're looking to get into the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints and you need a fast car, we'll look no further than JWR Speed Shop. JWR Speed Shop is back and board in 2026 and wants to help you to get racing with us. If you want a car, contact Justin Ward at 231-383-0947. Justin is a man to talk to for everything Great Lakes Lightning Sprints and Everything JWR Speed Shop. Have you ever had an automotive question but you don't know anyone to ask? Well, you've come to the right place. ARS Automotive joins Fourth and Rect in 2026 to help you get to the track. Just give Arlie Cooper Jr. a call at 231-357-2835, and he'd be happy to help you out. Thank you for all the support for the 2026 season. It's gonna be a great