Quincy, IL — (September 1, 2013) –Pushing the cushion, slide jobs through heavy lapped traffic, and squeezing between the wall and then race leader Joey Moughan, were all part of what helped Paul Nienhiser steal the show, Sunday, at Quincy Raceways.
While the pocketbook expanded with a $2,000 paycheck thanks to his first 410 sprint car win, Nienhiser’s fan base grew almost as much, as he laid the ground work to become the poster child of the young up-and-coming drivers of the MOWA series.
The first 410 sprint car win was a special one, he said.
“I didn’t think it would get much better than winning a sprint car race,” Nienhiser said, alluding to the fact that he won two 360 shows earlier this year, “but winning a 410 race is pretty unbelievable.”
Coming from seventh to second in the heat gave Nienhiser the most passing points for the MOWA dash, and when he drew a one for the invert, it started the Chapin, Ill., driver on the pole for the eight lap event. He was on a rail throughout the dash, and nearly lapped the back markers of the eight fastest cars in the field.
At the start of the 30 lap main event, Nienhiser out raced Joey Moughan to the first turn and slid up in front of the Springfield, Ill., driver in turn two to take the lead. While Moughan gave chase, Nienhiser banked off the cushion in turn 1 every lap, sometimes bicycling the car as he set for the corner.
As lapped traffic became heavier, Moughan began to pressure Nienhiser and used a lapped car to slow Nienhiser entering turn one, as Moughan slid the pair through turn two to take the lead on lap 18. The lead, however, was short lived.
Nienhiser quickly battled back, and as the fans and everyone in tower cringed, the Chapin driver squeezed between Moughan and the front stretch wall coming to the stripe to retake the lead as the pair finished lap 19.
“It was pretty close to the wall when I got back by Joey,” Nienhiser said. “But, I think I was closer with a lapped car a couple laps earlier though.
“The whole race was pretty close to the edge,” he said with a smile.
Moughan took several shots at the eventual race winner as they battled through lapped traffic over the next five laps, but once Nienhiser cleared lapped traffic, he had clear sailing over the final five laps, and Moughan could do little to catch him.
In victory lane following the race, Moughan told the crowd that the “grasshopper” out ran the veteran, and that he was impressed with the move Nienhiser made to retake the lead.
While the battle for the lead was going on, A.J. Bruns and Jerrod Hull battled for third and fourth throughout the event, but were a half a lap behind the lead pair. Bruns, who eventually finished third, said after the race that every time he came to a lapped car he thought maybe it would be the leaders, but it never happened.
Hull finished fourth, while Jim Moughan came for 10th to finish fifth.
With a pair of big shows and some important races coming over the next few weeks for the MOWA series, Nienhiser said he feels like his team is peaking at the right time.
“I think we have finally found some speed, just in time for these higher paying purses coming up,” he said. “It sure would be nice to get a couple more wins.”
The biggest payday weekend of the year comes this Friday and Saturday, as the MOWA series makes a two day stop at 34 Raceway for a $4,000 to win show on Friday night, Sept. 6, and a $5,000 to win show on Saturday, Sept. 7. For more information on those shows and more visit us at www.midwestopenwheel.com.
Results
Feature: 1. Paul Nienhiser, 2. Joey Moughan, 3. A.J. Bruns, 4. Jerrod Hull, 5. Jim Moughan. 6. Jordan Goldesberry, 7. Jimmy Hurley, 8. Cory Bruns, 9. Bret Tripplett, 10. Logan Faucon, 11. Jimmy Davies, 12. John Dines, 13. Mark Tischer, 14. Brett Samonds, 15. Ben Wagoner, 16. Jeremy Standridge, 17. Robbie Standridge.
Dash: 1. Paul NIenhiser, 2. Joey Moughan, 3. Jimmy Hurley, 4. A.J. Bruns, 5. Jerrod Hull, 6. Jordan Goldesberry, 7. Brett Samonds, 8. Cory Bruns.
Heat 1: 1. Jimmy Hurley, 2. Jordan Goldesberry, 3. A.J. Bruns, 4. Jerrod Hull, 5. Cory Bruns, 6. Ben Wagoner, 7. Bret Tripplett, 8. Robbie Standridge, 9. Logan Faucon.
Heat 2: 1. Joey Moughan, 2. Paul Nienhiser, 3. Brett Samonds, 4. Jimmy Davies, 5. Jeremy Standridge, 6. Jim Moughan, 7. John Dines, 8. Mark Tischer.