JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Joe B. Miller took advantage of a late-race caution to overtake leader Paul Nienhiser during Friday’s MOWA Sprint Car Series season finale.
Miller, who started in the fifth position had to bide his time as he prowled forward towards the front of the field in the 25-lap affair. Sliding back to the seventh position in the early stages of the race, was a positive sign for Miller, who avoided contact between second and third-running Colton Fisher and Jason Keith in the middle of the backstretch at the halfway point with Keith facing oncoming traffic.
Nienhiser continued to hold the top spot over Colton Fisher and Will Armitage who inherited the third position after caution. Miller had worked back into the top five at this point and set his sights on the front of the field.
Returning to green-flag action, Nienhiser put his No. 9x on the topside of the racing surface while the battle ensued behind him. Armitage muscled his way past Colton Fisher on the exit of turn two, to overtake the runner up spot with Miller in tow. Both drivers had moved into the top three within one-half lap.
The field then slowed once more on lap 16 after Brayton Lynch spun at the bottom of turn one, erasing the nearly two-second lead for Nienhiser. Lynch rejoined the field at the tail with no harm to his No. 29x, and the final 10 laps were set to be completed.
Nienhiser pounced on the restart with Miller making a move past Armitage for the runner-up spot at lap 17. Working the 18th lap, Armitage got sideways in the middle of turns one and two, collecting Chris Martin who ended on his side, after making contact with Armitage, ultimately ending both of their feature runs and Armitage’s bid for the title.
A nine-lap dash to the checkers saw Nienhiser at the front of the field, trying to protect the top spot. Miller saw a lane on the bottom side of the racing surface and powered past Nienhiser as he never looked back, leading the remaining nine laps to score the victory in the Ron Milton Race of Champions A-Main.
Miller is the only repeat winner of the event, having won the 2022 edition. Following Miller across the line was Jake Neuman who moved past Nienhiser at lap 20.
Trevin Littleton, who started 19th, Nienhiser and Keith completed the top five.
The finish:
Joe B. Miller, 2. Jake Neuman, 3. Trevin Littleton, 4. Paul Nienhiser, 5. Jason Keith, 6. Jeremy Standridge, 7. Mitchell Davis, 8. Tyler Robbins, 9. McCain Richards, 10. Jeff Beasley, 11. Brayton Lynch, 12. Colton Fisher, 13. Paul Haley, 14. Will Armitage, 15. Chris Martin, 16. Robbie Standridge, 17. Logan Faucon, 18. Gage Montgomery, 19. Chris Urish, 20. Korey Weyant, 21. Riley Goodno, 22. Ryan Edwards