by Bill Wright
Peoria, IL, August 17, 2024 – Paul Nienhiser won for the second year in a row at Peoria Speedway Saturday night with the Mohrfeld Solar Sprint Invaders. The Chapin, Illinois driver earned $2,000 for his twentieth career win with the series aboard the Scott Bonar #50. Nienhiser also cemented his point lead with the Sprint Invaders, after a Friday night that saw him get upside down at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa.
As the field assembled for the 25-lap feature, rain began to fall. The cars stayed on the track for several laps, ironing in the surface. As a result, the race was shortened to 20 laps. The track was dry in the heats and heading into the feature, so the rains changed the track considerably, at least for the first several laps.
It took four tries to get the racing underway. Riley Scott spun on the first try, Tyler Shoemaker stopped with throttle issues on the second, and Ryan Bunton tipped over on the third, collecting Colton Fisher and Preston Perlmutter. The latter two restarted at the tail, though Perlmutter had severe wing damage.
Cody Wehrle, who had won the Dash, led early from the pole once things went green for good, ahead of Nienhiser, Chase Richards, Terry McCarl and Austin Archdale. Nienhiser sized the leader up and took the point on lap four before Tyler Lee slowed to bring out the last caution of the race.
Nienhiser led Wehrle, Richards, McCarl and Archdale back to green. Fisher, who restarted at the tail after his incident entered the top five by lap eight. Nienhiser was into lapped cars by lap 11. McCarl overtook Richards for the third spot on lap 13, and Fisher gained fourth late in the going.
Up front, Nienhiser separated himself from the pack and blazed his way to the win. Wehrle was second, ahead of McCarl, Fisher and Chase Richards. Archdale, Blaine Jamison, McCain Richards, Tanner Gebhardt and Scott rounded out the top ten. Chase Richards and Perlmutter won heats, and Wehrle claimed the Dash.
“We really weren’t planning on (the rain) to start the feature,” said Nienhiser in Victory Lane. “We’d been working on stuff since hot laps. Scott made some adjustments that we thought were going to help us in the slick. Honestly, it may have helped us in the tacky. I know some guys were probably too tight. Bunton got up on the bicycle and got torn up. We had a little bit of luck. This was a good way to end the weekend.”
“It’s good to start on a track that was conducive to racing early,” said Wehrle. “We can’t seem to draw worth a diddle, and we’ve struggled to make the Dash. We have a car that races well. It’s so frustrating losing to Paul, but I don’t know that there’s anyone else that I’d rather lose to than Paul and Scott and all the wisdom they have. I know they had a rough Friday and a rough month, so happy for them, and bummed for our guys.”
“I thought the rain might be tough,” said McCarl. “We tightened up a lot after the heat. We were way too loose in the heat race. I was happy to get through the first two or three skirmishes, and I felt maneuverable. It actually slicked off pretty quick and we got going. The car really came to me towards the end, and we were able to get to third and reel in second a little bit. All in all, we had a good night. I think we won the (car owner point fund sponsored by Avis and Budget Car Rental of Burlington) for the two nights for Jimmy (Davies), so that was good too.”
The Mohrfeld Solar Sprint Invaders conclude their season on, Saturday, September 28, with the $5,000 to win “Fall Haul” at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa. For more information on the Sprint Invaders, visit www.SprintInvaders.net or visit us on Facebook.
Mohrfeld Solar Sprint Invaders Results
Shottenkirk Automotive Group A main (started), 20 laps: 1. 50, Paul Nienhiser, Chapin, IL (3) 2. 40, Cody Wehrle, Burlington, IA (1) 3. 99, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (8) 4. 11, Colton Fisher, Mediapolis, IA (6) 5. 4, Chase Richards, Burlington, IA (5) 6. 2A, Austin Archdale, Brimfield, IL (9) 7. 51J, Blaine Jamison, Mediapolis, IA (11) 8. 31, McCain Richards, Burlington, IA (7) 9. 81, Tanner Gebhardt, Burlington, IA (14) 10. 88, Riley Scott, Quincy, IL (12) 11. 42P, Preston Purlmutter, San Antonio, TX (4) 12. 25Y, Brett Yeager, Coal Valley, IL (16) 13. 7, Tyler Lee, Cedar Rapids, IA (15) 14. 6R, Ryan Bunton, Morton, IL (2) 15. 2B, Garrett Benson, Concordia, MO (13) 16. 1T, Tyler Shoemaker, Clinton, IL (10). Lap Leaders: Gebhardt Wehrle 1-3, Nienhiser 4-20. $75 Christine Wahl-Levitt/KSE Hard-charger: Fisher.
Randall’s Performance Heat one (started), 10 laps: 1. Chase Richards (1) 2. Cody Wehrle (5) 3. Colton Fisher (4) 4. McCain Richards (3) 5. Blaine Jamison (2) 6. Tyler Shoemaker (7) 7. Garrett Benson (6) 8. Tanner Gebhardt (8)
Joshua Denning & Associates Heat two (started), 10 laps: 1. Preston Perlmutter (1) 2. Paul Nienhiser (5) 3. Ryan Bunton (7) 4. Terry McCarl (3) 5. Austin Archdale (6) 6. Riley Scott (4) 7. Brett Yeager (8) 8. Tyler Lee (2)
Agriland FS Dash (started), 6 laps: 1. Cody Wehrle (2) 2. Ryan Bunton (1) 3. Paul Nienhiser (6) 4. Preston Perlmutter (3) 5. Chase Richards (4) 6. Colton Fisher (5)
Contingencies
King Racing Products – Chase Richards
DMI – McCain Richards
Saldana Racing Products – McCain Richards
BMRS – Cody Wehrle