Race #6 @Crystal (ft. Nolan Blanchard

Race number 6 we returned to the Crystal Motor Speedway. Justin Ward was welcomed back to victory lane again, and our car count was brought back up.

Nolan Blanchard joins me this week, and we talked about his first race and his history in racing. Shocking enough, he has a lot.

Tune in to hear us talk about future dates he will be back with us, and how he continues to improve.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 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 Right. And I'm your host, Matthew Rieger. Hello, everybody. My name is Matthew Rieger. We got another driver for you on the podcast, Post Crystal Motor Speedway Race 2 at Crystal. It was our return to Crystal Motor Speedway, and we have a new driver, new face on the podcast. But before we introduce him, we'd like to take the time to thank some of our sponsors. If you're looking to get into the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints and you need a fast car, look no further than JWR Speed Shop. JWR Speed Shop is back on board in 2026 and wants to help you get into racing with us. If you want a car, contact Justin Ward at 231-383-0947. Justin's the man to talk to for Everything Great Lakes Lightning Sprints and Everything JWR Speed Shop. And if you go to JWR Speed Shop and give them a phone call and let them know the good folks over at Fourth and Rec sent you, you can get a free Justin Ward T-shirt. Have you ever had an automotive question, but you don't know anybody to ask? We've come to the right place. ARS Automotive joins Fourth and Rec in 2026 to help you get to the track. Just call Arlie Cooper Jr. at 231-357-2835, and he'd be happy to help you out. And first time customers only. If you give Arlie Cooper Jr. a call and just set up an appointment and let him know the good folks over at Forth and Rec sent you, then you can get $25 off of your first service with ARS Automotive. Well, like I said, we got another driver on the podcast here with us in the WW Oilfield Sales and Services, ARS Automotive, Hoosier Tires, JDBR Speed Shop, Hyper Racing, FK Shocks, Yoshimura, High Points Construction, Fourth and Wife, Fourth and Rect, his wife. Give it up for the number eight X of Nolan Blanchard. Welcome to the podcast, Nolan.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

Thanks. Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Yeah, I uh like I said, I've been trying to get you on. Man, I've just been so busy uh this week. It's there's a lot of things going on. Um, as most of you listen to the podcast may know. Uh we got a baby shower coming up this weekend, and less than six weeks for our baby to be born. So there's a lot on the table that still needs to get done. And you know, there's a lot of stresses involved. You got kids of your own? Tell me you know what I'm talking about, Nolan.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

No, I have no clue what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

See, I thought I'd get them.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

It sounds stressful though.

SPEAKER_00 2:47

I mean, it is a little bit, and for but for being 23, I'd rather deal with the stress now and be in my forties and have all the kids move out of the house than the other way around and be in my 30s and say you're on the right track. Yeah, right. So I'm rather deal with the stress now and uh have no hair at 40 than deal with the stress at 30 and just be a mad 50-year-old. You know what I'm saying? There you go. See, my parents did it right. I was the last one out of the house, and I think my dad was forty-five, if I can't, if I'm not mistaken, he was forty-five when I moved out of the house. So like I said, kids aren't stressful, but for your age, they they they definitely might be.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

But yeah, I'm not sure if I can handle it, maybe. I guess I won't have a choice.

SPEAKER_00 3:39

Yeah, right. I mean, there's only one way to get into that situation, so yeah, that's what I hear. Yes. Well, welcome to the podcast, the first time guy on. Let's hear it. How how you doing?

SPEAKER_01 3:58

Good. I'm doing good. I'm actually kind of excited to get back in it.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

Get back in it. You told me you were going every other week. I did uh do the calculations. When's the next race you're gonna join us at?

SPEAKER_01 4:10

Merritt. On the second, I believe it is.

SPEAKER_00 4:13

Merritt on the second. Ah, unfortunately, you will not see me down there. I my work schedule is so busy. Even if I got off at 2 30, it's a five-hour drive north. I wouldn't make it there until at the earliest 7.30. And I know Michigan. I've been in Michigan a couple times. You guys have traffic out the Wazoo. So I already know it. I'm gonna go go up 75, hook over to 23, and get stuck in traffic. I already know it.

SPEAKER_01 4:44

No, I uh I work every other weekend, so it's kind of difficult, but you make the Thursday work? Yeah, I can make that work, but uh I had other plans and I got my own race car that I do too, so your own race car? I can't hit them all.

SPEAKER_00 5:03

Okay, so now we're gonna now I thought that's racing dirt. This is your first time ever racing dirt. Now we're gonna need a little history on this. What uh what racing have you done?

SPEAKER_01 5:15

I bracket race, drag car.

SPEAKER_00 5:17

Drag car. So does it feel weird to take left turns?

SPEAKER_01 5:24

It does, actually. I ran an after around Charlotte Motor Speedway once for eight laps, I think it was ten laps, something like that.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

Oh, you talking about the Richard Petty experience?

SPEAKER_01 5:35

Yeah, I did one of those deals, but man, so he got money money.

SPEAKER_00 5:41

I'm just kidding. He's just got no kids.

SPEAKER_01 5:45

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 5:47

That helps. No, I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_01 5:52

I've been bracket racing for probably 20 years.

SPEAKER_00 5:55

Twenty years. Now I will tell you somebody who you love to talk to, um, Mike Pipgrass. Did you meet him on Saturday?

SPEAKER_01 6:03

I have. That's I've I heard that he used to run like Top Fuel or something.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

Oh, yes, he did. He used to run Top Fuel. And like the videos are so he he did it so long ago that they were on VHS tapes. So for my younger listeners, the podcast, there's like little boxes that go into a little VC. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:22

I'm I'm I'm not even I'm not even sure if I have one of those that works.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

I don't think anybody does at this point anymore. Yeah, comment on the the podcast if you uh the podcast uh when we post it if uh if you still got a working VHS and we'll figure out who's got one. So I know Mike Pipgrass does.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Yeah, I bet he does.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

That's how long ago it was. They had it on VHS.

SPEAKER_01 6:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:48

So do you like w which one do you like better? Is your do you definitely like lightning sprints better?

SPEAKER_01 6:55

Lightning Sprints is a lot more intense, I would say.

SPEAKER_00 6:58

I will tell you, my wife read your post out loud. Um yeah, based on your what you said, I'd say yeah, you definitely enjoy lightning sprints a lot more.

SPEAKER_01 7:09

There's a lot more, I would say I wasn't I wasn't expecting the amount of I don't know what you'd want to call it. Adrenaline. Yeah, but the just the thoughts that are going through your head and thinking that you have to do, you know what I'm saying? And and it has to be like quick right now.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Oh yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:30

You know.

SPEAKER_00 7:32

Well, you were looking like a champ.

SPEAKER_01 7:35

I don't know about that.

SPEAKER_00 7:36

I mean, you knew where to go. Just anywhere they weren't.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Yeah. Right. I was yeah, I was trying to stay out of trouble.

SPEAKER_00 7:43

And you did just that.

SPEAKER_01 7:46

I did.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

And you finished uh what, seventh in the uh seventh in your heat, so that's really good. Now was uh racing in the heat, did that really set you up for the feature or did because this is your first time driving dirt. So what what was the what was the difference from the heat to the feature?

SPEAKER_01 8:11

The heat the heat didn't seem quite so intense, I guess you'd say. And then for some reason out in the feature, I don't know if I just had it in my head that there was a lot more cars on the track. But it just seemed like it was a lot more intense, a lot more going on.

SPEAKER_00 8:27

Yeah. Now, did you have a problem go on with your car? Is that why you pulled off early? I know we're coming into the the finish, there was like seven cars that finished.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

No, I um actually coming out of four, I scuffed the wall. Oh I think I went one more lap and then I pulled off.

SPEAKER_00 8:46

Okay. Was that just so you didn't break anything?

SPEAKER_01 8:50

Yeah, I didn't want to. I don't own it, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 8:54

Yeah, and be like, oh my sorry Justin, I wadded up your car. Hope you got another one. See you next week.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

We don't want to have that conversation. No, no, no, no.

unknown 9:05

No.

SPEAKER_00 9:06

Justin's that type of guy that gives you the shirt off his back, but if you break his stuff, you know. Right. He might take the shirt off your back. No, I'm just kidding. I mean, I don't know. I haven't broken any of his stuff yet. I did step on one of Arlie Cooper Jr.'s filters though. I kind of felt bad about that one.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 9:24

Yeah, that's a story to tell.

SPEAKER_01 9:27

Yeah, I used to race motocross too before that when I was a lot younger.

SPEAKER_00 9:31

So you did do dirt. Or is that that was dirt?

SPEAKER_01 9:35

Yeah, motocross, dirt bikes.

SPEAKER_00 9:37

Okay, so that's good. I I don't really know much about the racing world. My racing world is uh NASCAR. That's uh that's basically where my uh knowledge for racing goes. Oh yeah. So it doesn't really span much past that. It's whatever. But I really didn't even realize about dirt racing. I didn't realize Eldora existed until I moved to Ohio, and I still haven't been there, and I've been in Ohio since August of 2020. Still haven't been to Eldora.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

I've heard stories of the place, I've never been to it, but really sounds like it'd be a good time.

SPEAKER_00 10:14

Now, are you born and raised in uh Michigan? Yes. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Now did you grow up uh what blue and yellow?

SPEAKER_01 10:25

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

Oh, I gotta stop getting these blue and yellow folks on my podcast. This is uh it's not good for the Fourth and Rec brand. No, you'll never believe it. I grew up in uh eastern Connecticut, um, like as far almost as far east as you can go. Like so far east that like I'm about 10 miles out from the Rhode Island border, and Rhode Island is like the smallest state. So and then like I think Rhode Island is like 50 miles wide, so 50 miles, and then I think you're you're to the other side of Massachusetts, and then there's like the water and everything. So I'm like on the east coast. So to be honest, the uh the red and white versus the blue and yellow debate doesn't really apply to me because I haven't been an Ohio State fan. I I just root for them just to piss every piss all you off.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

So if you're not blue and yellow, then what color are you?

SPEAKER_00 11:26

Blue and gold? Navy. Grew up Navy.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Navy Navy.

SPEAKER_00 11:33

Yeah, they actually did really good this year. Or last year, I'd say.

SPEAKER_01 11:37

I don't I don't follow it that close. Not as close as Jason Ward does.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

Oh yeah, Jason's all over it. Dude, he'd be like, look up in the sky, what do you see? That's right, you see blue, and I'm like, uh right. What happens when you bleed? You see red, Jason. No, seriously, um no, I'm not really into the debate with the college football. I could not really care less about football. I uh I'm the type of fan that like looks at the scores of like the two teams and then like I'll debate what the scores were and I'll be like, oh yeah, we beat you by 50 points. Yeah. Yeah, I'm that weird type of fan. Now, NASCAR, like, we can go debates for hours if I'm with the right person.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

So do you have one favorite NASCAR driver?

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Currently, right now it is William Byron, but he hasn't running too hot. Chevy's are in a new new body style this year, so they gotta relearn everything with the arrow. But I mean, Chase Elliott is the only Chevy driver to actually figure it out and go to victory lane. But my backup is Denny Hamlin, and boy, he's doing great. I will tell you, I used to be a Kevin Harvick fan uh until Bristol of 21 when Kevin Harvick and no, I used to be Chase Elliott used to be my backup. He was gonna be my backup after Kevin Harvick retired. And then the Bristol, the Bristol night race in 21, where Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick got into it, just rubbed me the wrong way for Elliott, so I picked Byron.

unknown 13:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 13:24

What what can you say?

SPEAKER_01 13:26

I would say if I was to pick one, it'd be Carson.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

Carson? I feel like that's a pretty solid pick, especially being a Michigander yourself.

SPEAKER_01 13:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

He's born and raised in Michigan.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

Yeah, he just he just raced on Berlin Raceway, like last weekend, I think it was.

SPEAKER_00 13:43

Yeah, he's been he does a lot of different dirt. Uh he's on dirt, yeah, pavement in Berlin. He's in like Xfinity, the trucks, the Cup Series. He's racing like a lot, you know?

SPEAKER_01 13:55

Yeah, pretty much anything his hands on, he races it.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

Yeah, seriously. Somebody should offer him a great like lightning sprint, see if he uh takes it.

SPEAKER_01 14:04

Oh, he would.

SPEAKER_00 14:06

I really hope so. Oh, now we need to contact Justin. Carson Hosevar, you need to contact Justin, the six-time champion.

SPEAKER_01 14:15

That would be pretty sweet.

SPEAKER_00 14:17

That would. That that really would.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

If Carson raced with us, kind of like Brandon Thurlby did with um Bush.

SPEAKER_00 14:27

Yeah. Kyle Bush uh Merritt, right?

SPEAKER_01 14:30

Yeah. I don't I remember when that was, a couple years ago or something.

SPEAKER_00 14:34

23. It was uh 23. I think August of 23, because I was gonna go down there, but I'm like, eh, it's too far away. It's good. Yeah, Merritt's super far away from me. So fortunately not able to it's okay. We're good.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

And I think after that, I've my plan so far anyway is to run um I can't remember the dates, but I only found a fair.

SPEAKER_00 15:01

Thursday.

SPEAKER_01 15:03

And then the day after that is July 16th.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

Tri-City.

SPEAKER_01 15:09

Yes, those two.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

Yep, Tri-City. I will be at Tri-City. All the Thursday races, unfortunately, I will not be able to make. Just because I work on Fridays now, so I can't get Thursdays off, and our schedule's getting busy at work, so it's whatever. It's whatever. Have you ever went to the racetrack and you saw a paint scheme that you fell in love with? Well, look no further than DCR Graphics. For all your graphic designs, from wraps to banners, stickers, die casts, hats, hoodies, shirts, and even flags, turn to DCR Graphics. Find DCR Graphics on Facebook or by calling 419-308-9523. Racers, are you ready to join Winter Circle in 2026? Start your season strong with No Limit Carts and Parts, your trusted source for everything go-karts and mini wedges. From expert chassis setup services to engine building and dyno tuning, plus a full inventory of complete chassis, pirate parts, and tires. We've got what it takes to put you up front. Don't leave speed on the table. Call No Limit Carts and Parts today at 248-866-9109 and take your program to the next level. With no limit carts and parts, your winning starts. Also want to give a shout out to new sponsor. It's No Limit Carts and Parts, but we are making the transition to Extreme Indoor Cart Racing and Entertainment Center. They're getting a little ad read up written up for me. That way we can talk about it. So, yes, No Limit Carts and Parts is going to be changing to Extreme Indoor Cart Racing. And if you're looking for it, it's based out of Clyo, Michigan. And from what I've heard, I want to go. Like to today. Really want to go. But fortunately, that's not the case. But what is the case is we're racing at I-96. Nolan, just be glad you're not racing there. Tell you that.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

I heard it's fast.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

Uh, it is very fast. It involves shifting, and it involves blown motors. That's what I've heard.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:23

Yeah, we don't want we don't want that. A lot of people, I heard I so we've only been there three times. We went in 22, we went in 23, and now we're gonna be going this year. So this would be the third time. But the driver that has won both times has been Brendan Cascadin, and he the only reason why he wins is because he has backup cars, so he can just chip it and he blows a motor. You know, he'll be back next week with a new car, you know what I'm saying? So yeah, I mean, racing isn't bad just for us, it's so big of a track that we're hitting the we're chipping down the front straightaway and down the back straightaway. So we'll see how it goes. We'll see um if everybody can do uh do their thing, you know.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

So yeah, I've I'll look I'll look for the highlights on Facebook, I suppose.

SPEAKER_00 18:15

We'll try to see if we can get some highlights out there. I know we're having a photographer, so that's good. Um Zach Heiser will be there. He's the announcer for the Great Lakes Super Sprints and um the host of Horsepower Happenings. Um so he's gonna be there with us, and then it'll be me, and then Kevin, Kevin Lincoln, the guys you the guy you saw with us in the trailer this past week at Crystal, he will be there as well. So but like I said, I-96 is gonna be a good race. I've never been there before, so hopefully it uh will be a good race. I got my brother along with me, so he'll be at the track, and we might be doing a little thing on the podcast. We're doing a live on track interview with Thomas Mezerall. Uh huge shout out to Chad Collie for helping me get this connection. And yeah, if you guys know T-Mez, um, I'm gonna try to get a little uh little snippet, a little clip of uh interview on the podcast. There'll be two episodes coming out next week if I do get this one going. So hopefully the interview with Thomas Meserol goes through and it'll be great. So super excited. So you racing at uh Mount Pleasant on the 3rd then? July 3rd?

SPEAKER_01 19:32

No, no, I won't be at that one.

SPEAKER_00 19:35

Man.

SPEAKER_01 19:36

Just the merit one.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

Man, so I won't see you until like a month from now.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

Yeah, I don't know if that's good or bad, but yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:46

I don't know, I just met you. How what'd you think? I made you wait in the trailer a lot. Yeah. Made you do a lot of walking. But I will tell you this is like one of my first couple times uh doing um what's it called? Checking in all the drivers, doing the heat races, pulling everything up for lineups and everything. So it's my first year, so hopefully it really gives me a little bit cuts me a little bit of slack. So yeah. But no, seriously, it's uh it's a great race of Crystal. Congrats to Justin Ward breaking back into victory lane. I know we have three drivers who've won twice, so Arley, Justin, and Jacob Shabai. It's kind of been uh kind of all toss around kind of race, so or kind of season, you know.

SPEAKER_01 20:39

Yeah. You were talking about that extreme carting.

SPEAKER_00 20:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

Justin and I built a go-kart track in my backyard.

SPEAKER_00 20:50

Yeah, I've been hearing a lot about that, and I really want to go race it.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

We haven't we haven't actually put the carts on the track yet, didn't he?

SPEAKER_00 20:59

Well, Justin also said he had a little like uh quarter mile dirt track you guys raced uh little minibikes on. Did you get to do that?

SPEAKER_01 21:08

I didn't do that, no.

SPEAKER_00 21:11

Man.

SPEAKER_01 21:14

I wish that sounded dangerous.

SPEAKER_00 21:17

I mean to each their own, I guess. No, I'm just kidding. No, like I said, it'll be uh it'll be a great uh night at uh 96 and hopefully we'll be alright, you know? Super excited. Well uh I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get tired. It's been a long week. It's gonna be a long day tomorrow, long day Saturday, long day Sunday, if I don't get to say it. Uh for all those fathers listening, happy Father's Day from your guys over here, Fourth and Rect. Um so yeah. Happy Father's Day, fathers. So well, like I said, I appreciate you Nolan. Thanks for having me on. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 22:10

I guess I'll see you next month.

SPEAKER_00 22:12

Yeah, right. Not if I see you first. I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_01 22:17

Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

No, seriously, thank you for taking the time to jump on and uh hopefully to catch you on again for sure.

SPEAKER_01 22:25

All right, sounds good.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

All right, sounds good. Have a good one. All right, bye.