PETERSEN MEDIA
Getting in one final race for the season on Friday night at Jacksonville Speedway, Paul Nienhiser put an exclamation point on a very turbulent season that saw him miss three months to injury as he parked his PNR No. 9x mount in victory lane at the Ron Milton Race of Champions in front of a throng of family and friends.
“Last Saturday night we weren’t very good at Jacksonville, so Scott Bonar went to work all week to see if he could figure out where we were missing,” Nienhiser said. “He came up with a few things and it made a ton of difference.”
Drawing the front row for his heat race, Nienhiser lined up alongside MOWA Championship contender, Mario Clouser. With both drivers needing the win badly for event points, Nienhiser was able to get the jump as he went on to secure the win.
With a vibration hounding Nienhiser and the CAM2 Lubricants/Midland Performance Inc./MB Heating and Cooling No. 9x, the team made the decision to swap out the rear-end and driveline prior to the feature event.
Able to make the changes Nienhiser’s family did the deed of drawing him the two pill for the redraw, and he was on the front row of the feature event.
When the field was shown the green flag, the Chapin, IL mashed the throttle and showcased a very strong Buffalo Wild Wings/T&K Tree Services backed entry. Simply able to put his car anywhere on the speedway to make grip, Nienhiser looked very solid out front and showed no signs of rust.
Despite losing a right-rear wheel cover and dealing with the vibration of a packed wheel, Nienhiser went on the score the win convincingly.
“It was just the perfect way to cap off a really tough year,” Paul Nienhiser added. “The last couple of seasons have really put us through the ringer with tragedy and hardship, and even on Friday night one of my close friends suffered a heart attack post race, but fortunately he is on the road to recovery. With it marking the end to our season, I really want to take the opportunity to thank my family, friends, fans, and marketing partners for all of the encouragement to get back racing after the injury. I also want to thank all of the guys who do such an incredible job on both the No. 9x and the No. 50- Scott Bonar, Greg Ford, Caleb Wankle, Drake Willhite, Weston Crews, Travis Pence, Zac Houtz, Tony Gaylord, Tom Griffin, and Eldon Stocker.
Nienhiser would like to thank CAM2 Lubricants, Midland Performance Inc., MB Heating & Cooling Inc., Buffalo Wild Wings, T&K Tree Services, Morrow Brothers Ford Inc., American Rental Center, Signature Signs, The Auringer Family, Matt Bradshaw, Wessler Bros. Agency Inc., Haverfield Construction-Concrete, Dropped Mobile, Mason Sound, AB&C Moving, Bayer, Dekalb/Asgrow, Maxim Racing, Engler Machine and Tool, Rider Racing Engines, K1 Race Gear, and Super Shox for their support.
Nienhiser would also like to thank Heartland Trailer Manufacturing, Rockstar Wraps, Kinney Racing Engines, and Stronghurst Collision Center for their support of Scott Bonar’s No. 50 car.
BY THE NUMBERS: Races-19, Wins-7, Top 5’s-12, Top 10’s-14
ON TAP: Nienhiser has completed his 2025 season.
STAY CONNECTED: Stay updated with Paul Nienhiser by following him on Twitter @Paul_Nienhiser or by clicking over to www.paulnienhiser.com.