PETERSEN MEDIA: Feeling really good about the Joe Roosevans owned entry heading into the Chili Bowl following the Junior Knepper 55 back in December, Paul Nienhiser had a nice week in Tulsa, OK highlighted by him racing to a ninth place finishing during his preliminary night feature event.
“I thought it was really a bittersweet way for our Chili Bowl to end on Saturday night, I am really pleased with how we performed and how things went for the most part,” Paul Nienhiser said. “I really think we had a shot to work our way towards the ‘A’ on Saturday but we just had bad luck in the our first main.”
Nienhiser attacked the River Spirit Expo Center on Monday night where he would kick his 2019 Chili Bowl off by working his way forward and finishing fourth from seventh in his heat race.
Advancing into an all important qualifier, the Chapin, IL pilot would continue to accrue important Chili Bowl points as his third place finish would put him 13th overall and solidly in the feature event.
With points going out the window in the feature, it would be about the main event finish to set up Saturday night’s starting point. Using some midget experience from a handful of starts in 2018, Nienhiser would slowly work his way forward as he was mindful to stay out of trouble.
When the rapid fire 25-lap finale was finishes, Nienhiser crossed over the stripe in the ninth position which was good enough to put himself on the pole of a Saturday night ‘C’ Main, and safely put him in the ‘Night Show’ as it is referred to on Saturday night.
Getting off to a great start on Saturday, Nienhiser looked to be well on his way to one of the twin ‘B’ Mains. Having a strong car underneath him, bad luck would surface and a throttle linkage failure would end Nienhiser’s Chili Bowl as he would make the right hand turn getting into turn three and head back to the pit area.
“It was really disappointing,” Nienhiser added. “By far the best I have felt at that race, and really just have to thank everyone that made it possible. It is frustrating but it really has us hungry for the season ahead and hopefully another run at the Chili Bowl in 2020.”
Nienhiser would like to thank CAM2 Blue Blood Racing Oil, Mason Sound, Innovative Design, Bradshaw Custom Pumping, Wessler Bros. Agency, Bob Hawks Auto Body, Littleton Storm & Timber, Fierce Herbicide, Sunstoppers Window Tinting, Engler Machine and Tool, FK Indy, Rider Racing Engines, Kaeding Performance, Signature Signs and Design, Team Simpson, and Steve Thomas Racing for their continued support.
2019 BY THE NUMBERS: Races-2, Wins-0, Top 5’s-0, Top 10’s-1
ON TAP: Nienhiser is hoping to return to the track when the World of Outlaws invade Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, TX on February 22nd and LoneStar Speedway in Kilgore, TX on February 23rd.
- Paul Nienhiser on Jan 21, 2019
- Article Date: 1/21/2019