9/30/2025
Paul Nienhiser
Paul Nienhiser Scores Pair of Runner Up's In Return To Racing
PETERSEN MEDIA After enduring a back injury on July 6th, Paul Nienhiser had been in rest, recovery, and rehab mode ever since. Late last week, the Chapin, IL driver got the green light to return to racing and despite being a little out of racing shape, Nienhiser picked up a pair of two second place finishes.
“My main goal in getting back in the car was just to see how my back would feel in a real racing scenario and back at speed,” Paul Nienhiser said. “Also, almost three months out of a car is a long time, so I was also just hoping to get some confidence back as well.”
Checking into Jacksonville Speedway on Friday night, Nienhiser made his comeback in front of a throng of family and friends. Drawing the seventh starting position for his heat race, Nienhiser quickly went to work a very rough and choppy race track.
With a very strong CAM2 Lubricants/Midland Performance Inc./MB Heating and Cooling Inc. backed No. 9x under him, Nienhiser put on a show as he carved his way to a third place finish which put him fourth overall in ‘A’ Main points.
Making adjustments to his entry before the feature, Nienhiser was admittedly out of gas after the physically demanding heat race. Still, when the green flag flew in the main, he wasted no time jumping into second as he chased after Jake Neuman.
Doing all he could to hang on to his car as he wrestled through the rough surface, Nienhiser made a bid for the lead at the race’s halfway point but ultimately saw Neuman race back by him.
Hanging on to second, a very worn out Nienhiser completed the comeback with a valiant run.
Saturday night, Nienhiser headed to 34 Raceway for the Fall Haul in Scott Bonars owned No. 50, a place that the duo have been so good at year after year but an event that has alluded them.
Lining up on the front row of his heat race, Nienhiser jumped out to the early lead and never looked back. Picking up the win, Nienhiser moved into the Dash where he picked up a fourth-place finish.
When the feature went green, Nienhiser jumped into second as him and Dustin Selvage were putting on a show and pounding the fence lap after lap. With the track far less demanding than the surface on Friday, Nienhiser was still digging deep to will himself to the race finish.
Getting alongside Selvage a few times, he just didn’t quite have the forward drive he needed to pull off a serious challenge for the lead. A late restart bunched the field back up, and when the green flashed Nienhiser was able to pounce as Selvage made a slight bobble and found himself out front.
With his tires a bit sealed over, JJ Hickle was waiting in the wings and with all of the momentum he was able to get by Nienhiser and pick up the win as Nienhiser again settled for a runner up finish.
“I definitely exceeded all expectations last weekend,” Nienhiser said with a laugh. “First and foremost I have to thank the village of guys that made this possible. Scott, Bonar, Zoom (Greg Ford), Caleb Wankle, Drake Willhite, Weston Crews, Craig Grimsley, Travis Pence, and Zac Houtz played a massive role in making this all possible and they busted their butt’s both nights. I wanted to badly to give them a win for all they did for me, but with them behind me I am super confident in what is to come as long as I can continue to get myself back into racing shape.”
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-17, Wins-6, Top 5’s-10, Top 10’s-12
ON TAP: Nienhiser is scheduled to get right back after this weekend with two nights at Jacksonville Speedway on the schedule.
STAY CONNECTED: Stay updated with Paul Nienhiser by following him on Twitter @Paul_Nienhiser or by clicking over to www.paulnienhiser.com.
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Submitted By: Paul Nienhiser
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