DAVENPORT, Iowa — Paul Nienhiser notched another win with the Mohrfeld Solar Sprint Invaders Friday night at the Davenport Speedway.
The 2024 Sprint Invaders’ champion had come close at the facility before but never recorded a win on the quarter-mile. The $2,000 score aboard Scott Bonar’s No. 50 was Nienhiser’s 21st with the Sprint Invaders, putting him just one shy of Kaley Gharst’s record mark of 22 wins with the series.
Tasker Phillips dominated his heat and the Agriland FS Dash before storming out to the early lead in the 25-lap feature event, ahead of Nienhiser, Josh Schneiderman, Cody Wehrle and Jake Blackhurst. Terry McCarl shot from his starting spot inside row six to the top five by the second circuit. Wehrle claimed third from Schndierman on lap four.
On lap five, Phillips shot over turns one and two, re-emerging on the backstretch, having lost his lead to Nienhiser. Six laps later, McCarl used the low side to pass Schneiderman. Riley Scott spun to bring the first caution of the event on lap 14.
Nienhiser led Phillips, Wehrle, McCarl and Schneiderman back to green. The restart saw Wehrle slow to a stop, surrendering his third place run. McCarl was deemed to have jumped the start and was penalized one spot, setting up a final restart with 11 laps to go that saw Nienhiser ahead of Phillips, Schneiderman, McCarl and Goodno.
McCarl quickly moved into third, with Goodno following into fourth. Goodno would pass McCarl for third on lap 15. Nienhiser was into lapped traffic with four laps to go. McCarl disposed of Goodno on lap 22 for third, and began reeling in Phillips.
Nienhiser diced through traffic to the win, while McCarl got a run on Phillips and took second at the finish. Goodno was fourth, and Schneiderman was fifth.
“This is a track that always has got away from us,” said Nienhiser. “We’ve finished second here quite a bit. I felt like there were a couple that I gave away. I did what I could not to make any mistakes there. I never feel great here. I don’t feel like I get down the straightaways for whatever reason. I don’t know if it’s the shape of the racetrack or what, but Scott (Bonar) is always working hard trying to figure something out for me. I was happy to check off a win at a track we haven’t won at in front of a great crowd. I feel like I had a really maneuverable racecar. I feel like there’s guys who are sometimes making better clean air speed that we are, but we were good in traffic.”
The finish:
Feature (25 laps): 1. 50, Paul Nienhiser, Chapin, IL (2) 2. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (11) 3. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (1) 4. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (9) 5. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (3) 6. 16, Dustin Clark, Agency, IA (13) 7. 99, Jake Blackhurst, Hanna City, IL (4) 8. 4, Cam Martin, Ankeny, IA (14) 9. 2B, Garrett Benson, Concordia, MO (10) 10. 11, Colton Fisher, Mediapolis, IA (8) 11. 81, Tanner Gebhardt, Burlington, IA (7) 12. 57, Cam Sorrels, Hallsville, MO (16) 13. 23, Devon Dobie, Wapakoneta, OH (17) 14. 28, Luke Verardi, Illiopolis, IL (19) 15. 88, Brogan Carder, Sioux Falls, SD (15) 16. 52D, Skyler Daly, Hallsville, MO (21) 17. 83, Kurt Mueller, Reynolds, IL (18) 18. 88x, Riley Scott, Quincy, IL (20) 19. 31, McCain Richards, Burlington, IA (22) 20. 99D, Tucker Daly, Hallsville, MO (12) 21. 15JR, Cole Mincer, Burlington, IA (6) 22. 40, Cody Wehrle, Burlington, IA (5)
