4th and Wrecked
Podcast for the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints, and everything about my announcing career
4th and Wrecked
Race #7 @I-96 (ft. Mark Riegert)
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Today we have a new special guest on the podcast, it's my brother Mark. We have been talking about this for a bit and to have him on made me feel happy.
Tune in to hear his very first dirt racing experience including his thoughts, and what he liked the most.
Jacob Sabaj pulled off the victory and looks forward to the double header this weekend to maybe get two more.
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 Rect. And I'm your host, Matthew Rieger. Hello, everybody. My name is Matthew Rieger. We are here in another episode of Fourth and Rect. And we got a special guest here on the podcast. And for you, the podcast listeners, you guys met him at I-96. Uh, welcome, my brother, to the podcast. Welcome, Mark Rieger.
SPEAKER_03Hey, how's it going?
SPEAKER_01Oh, it's going pretty good. Uh, I mean, we talked about you being on the podcast, so to have you on is very it is a pleasure, and I am glad to see have you on, man.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's wonderful being here.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. Now, the reason why I chose to have Mark on, I was gonna have Kevin Millen on and talk about his experiences in coming back to the Lightning Sprints after having a little bit of time off. But me and Kevin Millen's schedule did not align whatsoever. Um, but then I started thinking, we well, me and Mark talked about him being on the podcast. What about having him on? And this was his first ever dirt race going to I-96, and for him, his experience, I mean he's gonna tell you about it, but I think I was pretty much we were pretty much walking around together for so for his first experience, I think, blown it out of the water. First of all, Mark, first time on the podcast, you nervous?
SPEAKER_03Not at all.
SPEAKER_01You don't know.
SPEAKER_03No, I said not not at all.
SPEAKER_01Oh not at all.
SPEAKER_03No, I've been I've been I've been looking forward to uh getting on the podcast with you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's fun, so it is fun. Um, first of all, just want to say uh huge shout out to Shane Van Gisbergen. Uh I'm in a fantasy league where we kind of pick certain drivers. They finish first, you get three points. Second through sixth gets two points. Um seventh through twelfth, you get one point. If they finish outside the top 12, you don't get any points, and I pick Shane to win, so I got three points. But I'm not really doing good in my fantasy league. I think some people have racked up, I think, 36 points, and I'm at 21 total throughout this year. So running out of the good guys. So shout out to Shane Van Gisbergen on the win. Um I mark, I know you saw the race. What was your uh what was your opinion on it?
SPEAKER_03Are you are you referencing Sonoma or are you referencing I-96?
SPEAKER_01Sonoma, Sonoma.
SPEAKER_03Uh Sonoma was a very interesting race. I really thought Shane Van Gisbergen was gonna run away with it, but seeing Chase Briscoe, Ryan Blaney, and a few of those other guys keeping with him was very impressive.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they're uh I think they're really starting to pick up where Shane is um running as well. Because uh I know first time Shane ever went to Coda, he didn't win it like he did uh the other races, you know, because some of the drivers have adapted already. But like Sonoma is one of those tough tracks where what and I didn't which configuration do they run? Do they run the infield section or did they run outside of it?
SPEAKER_03No, they they ran their regular uh one, two, two, three A, three D down to four, over to seven, and then up through the S's. They ran the usual configuration.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay, so not like in the uh No.
SPEAKER_03Okay. Not the one looking like a chair.
SPEAKER_01No, absolutely not. No. Instead it looked like uh a mallet per se. I don't know. Sonoma is always uh a weird looking shape, but um Shane goes uh what two for two there? Undefeated.
SPEAKER_03So far, yes, since he's since he's raced, he's he's two for two at Sonoma.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's pretty good. Pretty good stats. So but uh Denny Hillman took up the points lead. Uh he's my wife's favorite driver. Um yeah. And I know you you're Blaney's your favorite driver, so he's really starting to close the door for the the top three after Reddick had an unreal day.
SPEAKER_03Now I think that was uh Yeah, turn turns out his power steering pump had uh started to break and it affected the ri the rest of his car, so he had to go down and fix it, and by that point, um not many wrecks or anything were happening.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. No power steering. Uh what did I saw a post. Uh did Blaney lose his cool suit? Did his cool suit stop working? Did I hear that right?
SPEAKER_03Yes, he did. He lost his cool suit um in stage one, and his when he came down into stage two when he pit, his crew ended up giving him a tool to flush that because it's actually worse for him um to have the water still in there but not actually flowing than it just uh than just an empty suit with an extra layer.
SPEAKER_01So yeah. I'd kind of like boil it because uh I know Sonoma well in California that really gets hot, so it would not be. Yeah, for sure. Well, enough about uh NASCAR again. Congrats on Shane Van Gisburg and picking up the wing at Sonoma today. But we're gonna talk about a little bit more about what your first dirt racing experience was like. First of all, what was your thoughts coming in?
SPEAKER_03Um yeah, it's it's a it's a long drive to get to I-96 from Lima. Um, but the it's cool. So I've I've gone to a few NASCAR races myself, and that experience there is wonderful uh and everything. But going to I-96, it's cool because you're close to the action. You can actually go to the garage um because Matthew, being uh fourth in wrecks, um, is able to get us garage armbands so we were able to go back there and actually talk to a lot of the drivers and get their perspective on on the way they're racing and how they're doing. And it was cool to cool to meet them and actually see what what goes on pre-race before they actually go up and uh send a bunch of dust into the air.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I will tell you one thing that's different from the Cup Series 2 uh dirt is that the garage area is actually called the Pits. So we're in the pits, so they don't actually have uh what they call the quote unquote garage. So what NASCAR calls a garage is what we call uh the pit. So yeah, we got pit passes and um yeah, it was uh really nice to go back and um you know talk to everybody. And then we talked to Max Stambaugh. Uh we had the chance to talk to Thomas Mezerall, um, all the LCA guys, all the JWR guys got to see Chad Collie and you know, just everybody else, Dalton. So it was good to good to see everybody at I-96. And um fortunately this week was an off week, so missing everybody. But we got a doubleheader coming up, so we're really excited about that. But um, yeah, I mean first time uh, you know, gonna going up in the booth, uh, they had uh hot laps for the uh 410 sprint car series that they would uh the bumper to bumper IRA sprints, is that that's what they were called. Uh and then we were qualifying or hot lap qualifying our cars. What was your experience um watching them race for the first time?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it was it was interesting. Um I I've seen a little bit of uh of dirt racing, uh not too much. And uh NASCAR Heat 5 um has like a dirt series, so I kind of did that. But it's interesting seeing seeing the way things play out and um how the energy is different when you're actually there at the track watching the cars going around and uh little bit little bit louder than you uh than your eyes give them credit for, so yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_01That was a uh difficult meet firm thing for me to figure out when I first started in dirt racing. And every once in a while I go into the the the stands and watch the races, and I was told to bring safety glasses to Lima Land. I'm glad I did. Some of these other dirt tracks that I've been to, like we've been to Crystal, Mount Pleasant, they don't really throw dirt as much as Limoland does, but still it's Limeland's a great place. Um very close to home. Always a great show put on there. Uh the show we watched uh a couple weeks ago. I was up in the uh the tower with me and Noah. That was a pretty good show. And yeah, like I said, I I-96 was pretty good. And uh what like let's talk more about your experience and like how was racing? What was the racing like for you?
SPEAKER_03Oh, it was it was it it was it was cool and interesting to see um just like NASCAR or any other racing sport, uh you have certain lines that you run and and you can see drivers kind of figuring that out as that track developed, right? As they drove over it and it got compacted and hard and dry. Um, and and see them move around. It was very interesting seeing a lot of drivers adjusting to that, um, as especially coming out of turn four, right? Because they prefer to run a little bit higher through there in I-96 just because of the way it's banked. Um, and then they started uh going down lower to be able to be able to make that grip around the track.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. And uh qualifying, uh, it was pretty cool to see. Um I-96 is a lot bigger than the other tracks that we normally race. So we like I said, we try to race on tracks that are a little bit smaller, so it's great to go to I-96 every once in a while, you know what I'm saying? Because it's it's a different facility, and it was it was a great show. They definitely did shrink it from the half mile to what four tenths? So it's really great. Really great for us. Um post-qualifying, Bill Dunham goes to the top with a 16-8-4-6. I really thought the record was going to be on the line uh today. I think Brendan had it at a 16-3, but I really thought the record with uh how everybody's been doing this season, you know, LCA Motorsports, uh, the the speed that they bring in qualifying, uh especially Grayson Thompson, you know, first couple laps out at Silver Bullet Speedway broke the track record by three tenths, and it's been held for five years, you know what I'm saying? So really thought the track record was gonna be on the line today, but um Bill back to the top with a fast qualifier. So it's great to see Bill um showing some speed again. He showed speed earlier this year at Mount Pleasant, so it's good for Bill. Uh but the top five in qualifying was Jacob Shabbai, Justin Ward, Chad Listerman, and Dalton Pipgrass um for at I-96. So it's really great. Really great.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely. It was it was very interesting to see them um figure out the track, because I know y'all don't uh visit I-96. It was interesting to see them visit the track um and really try to see what they were able to extract in the cars. It seems like the uh just the way the way the track was to do uh today was just one of those times where they weren't extra able to extract enough to get to that fast lap, but still very, very impressive speed.
SPEAKER_01For sure. And congrats to Bill Dunham. 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 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 in 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 to get back racing with us. If you want a car, contact Justin Ward at 231-3830947. Justin is a man to talk to for everything Great Lakes Lightning Sprints and everything JWR Speed Shop. And if you ever need service from JWR Speed Shop or you're looking to buy a race car, and you mention the guys over here at Fourth and Wrecked, and let them know that we sent you. Justin's got a free t-shirt with your name on it. Not actually your name on it, but he's got a free t-shirt for you if you mention the guys over at Fourth and Wrecked. Post-qualifying, we worked into the heat races. Let's go back. Did you see that Heat One crash with uh oh my word, I'm gonna say it wrong. I'm gonna pull it up now. Corbin Gurley, did you did you get to were you able to see that crash marker?
SPEAKER_03Actually I did. I I got to uh I was up in the booth at that time uh watching them go green uh for for that. And um what had happened was is Corbin uh started sliding up the uh somebody underneath Corbin started sliding up the track, ended up contacting his left front, and what it caused him to bounce off of them, uh lifting his front wheels up, and then it he tumbled up and over um and rested between turns one and two up there over on the top of the wall. And then uh looked at the the replay uh because we actually had the uh honor of having uh flow racing being able to uh broadcast the races there at I-96. So we got to see the replay of that broadcast. And uh yeah, Crazy Wreck. Um I hope he's okay. And I and uh I know uh last I heard uh he was being taken to the hospital. I don't know what his condition is now.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. And Corbin Gurley is actually uh I think he's a regular with the Great Lakes Super Sprints. So I know the Supers had an off week because they were going to Canada uh the next weekend, so they ventured out. I know Dustin Daggett was there, like I said, Max Sambaugh was there, Corbin Gurley, and there I think there was a couple others, uh couple other super sprint regulars that were out at uh I-96. So it was good to see them uh racing along with the bumper to bumper IRA sprints, and uh, I think Stambaugh finished the highest. I'm gonna I'm gonna look into that. But uh yeah, after the heats, uh we moved into our heats and what what let me ask what were your thoughts compared to like NASCAR? Like you've never seen heats before at NASCAR rather other than for the clash. What was your experience for in the heats?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it was it it was interesting to see them run um run like a short race before before the main thing. It was it was very interesting to see, right? So the best car, um, and I actually kind of like the way they do the heats, and I actually prefer to do it in NASCAR more just because um it you're kind of it gives you a chance to really know what your race pace is, right? Because we see we see all the time in racing where you do practice and qualifying and you've got some idea of how the car is going to race. But until you actually do one of those races, you don't truly know what your race pace is. So it was interesting to see um you know the fastest people move to the front of those heats, and then when it got to the to the main, it was very, very cool to see them up front and actually battling, and it gave us a really, really great show.
SPEAKER_01For sure, for sure. And yeah, definitely it was a different experience knowing that uh we got we got for qualifying, and then we got for the heat races, and then we go out for the feature when it's for the cup series, right, where we grew up, it's practice, and then you got for qualifying, and then you got no other race rather than just the race itself. So it's kind of cool just to seeing that uh different perspective going from the cup series and watching uh the Great Lakes lightning sprints, the 410s, and any type of dirt racing that you watch. I don't think I think every series does heats. Not everyone does qualifying, but everybody's heats. So it's cool to see that in dirt racing. You know, you kind of learn your car. And um Heat 1 winner was Justin Ward, so Justin back again to the top. I think that'll make him uh what four for six off the season. So Justin Ward, Dalton Pipgrass, Al Stanton. Al really hasn't been finding a lot of speed this season, but for him to finish top three and find a redraw position is uh step in the right direction for that uh number 29 team. Heat number two uh left Arlie Cooper Jr. at the top, leaving JD Bar Speed Shop to sweep uh the Heats, uh Jacob Shabai and Grayson Thompson and all the LCA Motorsports cars were in Heat number two, and it was a great battle there for third for the redraw spot between Grayson Thompson and Chad Listerman, and uh it was great to see Grayson you know starting to figure out his car and starting to work into he's the youngest driver in our field, he's 13 years old, so it's cool to start to see him you know develop as we go into these different racetracks and trying to figure out what to do, you know. For sure.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely. Um it was cool to see see him actually start to start to learn about the car. Um and I I I've had I've had haven't had any uh other interactions with him, but to see him start to learn that car at 13 years old is very impressive. I know I was I was still you know learning to be kind to people at 13, so it's impressive to see him handle a race car like that. And I I know for sure, um by by years out, at least a pony and finish, if not a win. So very impressive to see him get up there and uh really wheel that thing around the track.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely, for sure. He like you said, he's been doing uh doing wonders this season and LCA Motorsports entirely. Um with their their program and everything they've been trying to do this season, they definitely have been doing um been doing really good. They've been pulling some of the fastest laps in the feature. Um been really great to see them out front.
SPEAKER_03So absolutely.
SPEAKER_01Speaking of Grayson Thompson, uh I just want to give a huge shout out to AJ Thompson uh jumping on to sponsor the podcast. Um it's an extreme indoor cart racing and entertainment center. Race fans, are you ready to take racing to the next level? Well, I got a place just for you. It's Extreme Indoor Cart Racing and Entertainment Center, Michigan's largest indoor track with a quarter mile-long challenging road course. It's a family-owned, operated for over 18 years with over 20 plus arcade games, pool tables, and a private party room for your birthday or your corporate party. And just to let you know, this is the last gasoline-powered indoor cart racing track around. So, really good for that. And guess what? They also have a snack bar along with drinks for your pleasure. What kind of drinks? I guess you'll have to find out. It's in Clio, Michigan, if you're looking for a place to spend your afternoon, your evening, place to spend your money. Go to Extreme Indoor Cart Racing and Entertainment Center, and go find AJ Thompson. Let him know. The guys at Fourth and Rec sent you, and um, he'll give you a high five. We'll figure out what uh what we can get you if you mention the guys over here at Fourth and Rec. I'll have to talk with him. So, like I said, Extreme Indoor Cart Racing Entertainment Center. We are so thankful for them. Post heats, we moved into the feature, and um I also had the pleasure of calling the heats for the IMCA modified, and it was pretty cool to see in the heats. You know, there was uh two drivers that really uh put themselves out front. It was really good to see them. Casey Smith uh being one of them and the other being. Let me look that up again. Yes, Mark Anderson. Yeah, there's a really great battle between Mark Anderson and uh Casey Smith there at the end, but Shannon Fisk ended up getting Heat 1, Marcus Mark Anderson with uh Heat 2. So it was good to see them out front. And uh I also had the pleasure of announcing their feature uh with Casey Smith going to victory lane. So it's always good dipping my feet into the the pool of other announcing opportunities. So I appreciate Zach for letting me do that. I know I uh gave a little pushback at first, but uh glad I did. Glad I did. Also, I just want to thank Jerry Napier. Uh I gave him a shout-out during the um the race, but I want to give him a shout-out now again. He uh he sent me a video. He was like, hey, who's this announcing? He's really good. And then he was watching the Flow Racing broadcast, so I had to give him a shout-out in Flow Racing. So thankful for Jerry, and um, yeah, it was great. But then we moved into our feature and um dropped the green flag. Early told me he's not very good at starts, is one thing he's been working on, this number 29 crew. So Jacob Shabbai was able to take the lead, bring it home. Justin ended up working his way up, he ended up finishing second. So it's good to see him out front again. You know, this team has been struggling. Um, you know, not really where they've been wanting to run. They had an eighth place finish earlier this year, and that's I think that's their worst finish they've had in over two years. So for this team to be running back out. Front. It's good to see them. Justin said he was really hoping for another caution and um might have had some a good run for Jake, but and it ended all with Jake and Victory Lane. And I'm gonna try this. This was a little interview in Victory Lane. So if the audio quality is not that good, um, I do apologize. But here's a little interview from Jake.
SPEAKER_02But Jake, uh man, what a battle there. The lap cars were really holding you up there. The gap was from three seconds, drove all the way down to 1.5 seconds. What were the thoughts inside your head?
SPEAKER_00I was trying to stay as smooth as I could and just get through the lap cars, but yeah, getting pinched up every once in a while, and just uh I guess make round where we could. I knew they were probably gaining on me, but if I could have stayed smooth, then I think it would be alright. So it came together.
SPEAKER_02Well, what a way to celebrate your 13th victory with the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints, you know, as high as Jack Nichols on the all-time win list. And that name is really great because he is now racing with Great Lakes Super Sprints. We talked earlier today. This is your your very first start with the Great Lakes Lightning Sprint started right here. You finished sixth. How does it feel to go to victory lane?
SPEAKER_00We came a long way, but uh my guys in the back, the LCA team we put together is really coming through. So without those guys and just the knowledge we brought to the table this year, and just everybody in the back that helps out, it's been it's been really good. Well third feature link for Jacob Shabai.
SPEAKER_02You can check it. I-96 off the list. Congratulations, Jacob. Thank you.
SPEAKER_01Well, um first of all, when I do interviews on the front straightaway, I have no idea what to say until I'm on the microphone and talking. So sometimes I slip up and I just realized how fast I was talking. So huge shout out to Jacob Shabai after leading all 15 laps to understand me um after that one. What was your thoughts on the feature, Mark?
SPEAKER_03Uh yeah, the the feature, the feature was very interesting. It was it was cool to see them uh ri really really get to it. Um and uh I was kind of hoping for a caution for Justin Ward to really battle Jacob on that one, but honestly, prop props to Jacob for uh leading the entire thing and starting to pull away.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, for sure. And then once we got down into victory lane, um one of the other announcers uh that was an announcer for the bumper bumper IRA Sprints was like, Hey, do you want to stay down and watch? And I'm like, sure. So um we actually stayed down and for the entire 25 lap feature for the bumper bumper IRA Sprint car series. We were able to watch the feature from the infield, and we made our picks. Mark, you I think you picked Dustin Daggett, was that correct?
SPEAKER_03I did pick Dustin Daggett. Uh really it seemed like just watching the uh the heat from them, he he might have had a car to go up there and do it. Um actually was a car that ended up uh blowing a motor in the in the heat that I actually thought might have won the whole thing, but you know. Yeah, cars aren't perfect, so yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_01And you run through a lot of mistakes and a lot of motors. Uh, you can talk to Arlee Cooper Jr. and ask how his 2023 season went. Um he was I think he was blowing motors left and right, but it's good to see Arlie back up the front here battling. But we made our picks. Um Dustin Daggett, he actually finished the highest with the driver's race race with the uh the Great Lakes super sprints, so it was good for Dustin Daggett to get some uh extra seat time. But my pick was Clinton Boyles, and he ended up picking his picking up his first win with the AIRA sprints. So it's good to see that in victory lane. And my word, it was loud. What would uh Did you did you need earplugs too afterwards?
SPEAKER_03I I should have definitely picked up earplugs. As soon as they were doing on the track and doing pace laps, I was like, alright, this this isn't bad, but it's manageable. But as soon as they got up to speed, uh I I I feel like half a lap my ears started ringing, and uh not much not much I could do, no earplugs, so I just said, you know what? I'm getting older and losing here anyways, and might as well lose a little bit. We'll get a cool view on the infield.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. And I will tell you I will ask you a question. What was your favorite experience from the whole I-96 weekend?
SPEAKER_03I honestly think it was going back and actually talking to the drivers in the pits uh and and and seeing them, you know, work on their car, set it up, and uh actually had the had the uh chance to talk to some people after after both of the uh Great Lakes Lightning Sprints heats were done and uh talk to them about what they felt in their cars and stuff like that. So it was a cool experience to actually talk to the drivers after uh an event like that. Because in NASCAR, right, um, unless you have the garage passes, most of the time they're very busy um being the highest profile racers um we have in the in the Cup Series. Um so it's actually cool to see and talk and get their understanding experience from how their cars felt.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. I will tell you that is a the fun thing for me to do as well, and also growing the relationships and the um the friendships and the bonds with all the drivers. And uh a couple podcasts ago, I'm gonna pick on them. Uh, I mentioned uh that a lot of these drivers, all these drivers have become my friends, and I forgot to mention one guy, so I wanted to pick on him and give him a shout-out. Uh Jacob Shabbai, uh, you are very much one of my best friends. Um I really appreciate you, and um you've been doing great, and it's glad to see you back with us. But hopefully you don't leave again. Um, but uh you might be staying longer than uh I will. So yes, shout out to Jacob Shabbai. And if there's any other driver that I missed, and you guys are listening to the podcast and you're like, hey, you miss me, you can let me know, and I'll give you a shout out on the next podcast. So yeah, like I said, it's it's always good going back there and seeing everybody work on their cars. I actually have had the chance to work on a couple people's cars. Um funny story uh this gets brought up a lot. Uh we had a double header, not really a double header. It was a Thursday race and a Saturday race. We went to Ionia, and then we actually I stayed up with uh Justin, and then we had Saturday was at Merritt Speedway, but I actually helped Justin. We uh sprayed down, we power washed his car and Arlie's car, and then uh Arlie power washes his filters, you know, to clean them out. And uh I went to go, I was like, hey, can I help with one of these? And I stepped on one of his filters and completely broke. Trashed it. Yeah. So it's fun. It's fun talking to the drivers and helping them out on their race cars. Uh Orley did also give me the chance to jump in his car uh for a little bit. I drove it around uh Merritt Speedway on the the sat that actual Saturday after I stepped on his filter. Surprisingly.
SPEAKER_03Hey, you know what they say to to uh make an online, you gotta break a few legs, eggs. And I guess I guess for racing, in order to uh you know really put down some good lips, you gotta break a few filters, so yeah, right.
SPEAKER_01But don't tell Arlie that I'm just kidding. He's probably gonna hear it anyway, so well, speaking of Arlie, uh I just want to give a huge shout out to Arle and ARS Automotive. Have you ever had an automotive question you just don't know who to ask? Maybe it's your oil change light that's going off and you don't know what to do. Maybe it's the knocking noise and you just need somebody to help, and somebody who's a certified master mechanic and you're looking for somebody. Well, look no further than ARS Automotive. If you're looking for a mechanic in Northwest Michigan, uh look to ARS Automotive. ARS Automotive joins Fourth and Rectum 2026 to help you get to the racetrack. If you want to schedule an appointment with ARS Automotive and Arlie Cooper Jr., just give him a call at 231-357-2835, and he'd be happy to help you out. And for first-time customers only, if you give Arleigh Cooper Jr. and schedule an appointment, whether that be your oil change, your tire light, you need something welded, or you just have that problem that nobody else can fix, you let Arlie know that you heard about ARS Automotive from Fourth Unreck, and he'll give you $25 off on your service. Again, appreciative for ARS Automotive jumping on in 2026. So yeah, like I said, I'm really super excited for um doubleheader weekend coming up. Thursday, we go to Merritt Speedway. Friday, we go to Mount Pleasant Speedway, and um it's gonna be a great one for sure. For sure. So Mark, uh would you come again?
SPEAKER_03Oh, absolutely. Um yeah, it was a very wonderful experience and and it was cool um to be really close to the action. And uh though I may never professionally race in my life, it was it was really cool to uh you know talk to some and and see their experiences. So I'd absolutely love to come back and uh and and keep watching the uh Great Lakes Lightning Sprints and and even some of the other series we were able to witness.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. Like I said, it was a great race and um first time I ever actually got to watch a uh sprint car race. I got to watch a um four-cylinder race from the infield at uh Tri-City. Justin, every time he wins at uh Tri-City, he always parks it on the victory lane on the infield, and I always got to walk out there and he got me stuck until after the the four-cylinder race. So I have seen a race from the infield actually twice. I uh announced a race from the infield at Ionia, the Ionia County Fairgrounds, which the date got moved, it is not on the 16th anymore. It is on the 23rd of July. So, super excited for that. Unfortunately, I will not be able to go. That week is might be the week that the birth of my child will be here. So I'm excited. Excited. And I'm excited. I'm glad you uh jumped on and joined me, bro.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely, it was it was it was wonderful being here. It was wonderful uh being uh being out there and uh uh visiting you and uh you know driving driving a very long time up to the races, but I mean hey, that's how it goes. And uh watching some amazing amazing races and eating some delicious cookies.
SPEAKER_01So yes, those cookies were very delicious, but um very uh they'll catch up to you afterwards, you know. But uh no, seriously, it was uh it was good to have you on the podcast, and I really appreciate you. And for those other people listening to the podcast and you're wondering who the special people that might be on my podcast, one of them is my brother. I got two others. If you can guess them, uh put a comment, put a guess. Got two people, two special guests coming on here soon. If you can guess one of them right, I will let you know. So put a comment down on the bottom of the post on Facebook, find us on Facebook Fourth and Rect. Give us a like, give us a share. Might be doing a giveaway here soon. So like I said, thank you, Mark, uh, for harping on and I appreciate you. Oh yeah, thank you. Can't wait to see you again.
SPEAKER_03Looking forward to it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. Well, I don't say this to anybody else, but I love you, bro, and I hope you have a good rest of your night. And like I said, thank you for taking the time. Absolutely, I love you too. All right, well, have a good one.
