Pictured: Austin Pierce (#2A) and Jason Linnell (#22). Photos by Mike Spieker and Tim Johnson.
Austin Pierce Tops Jason Linnell for 10th on NOSA Wins List
sBy Mike Spieker
GRAND FORKS, ND (November 6) - The 2014 NOSA Sprint Car champion, Austin Pierce, defended his series title in 2015 with another River Cities Speedway track championship, a runner-up finish in the NOSA standings, and three wins on the season.
GRAND FORKS, ND (November 6) - The 2014 NOSA Sprint Car champion, Austin Pierce, defended his series title in 2015 with another River Cities Speedway track championship, a runner-up finish in the NOSA standings, and three wins on the season.
Greg Nikiteno #6N sits 9th on the NOSA wins list with 11 career wins. Pierce's win at Greenbush Race Park over the Fourth of July weekend put him at eight career NOSA wins and placed him in a tie with Thomas Kennedy for 11th on the all-time NOSA wins list. Less than a week later, Pierce scored a victory at River Cities Speedway, which broke the tie with Kennedy and put him in a tie with the 1995 Rookie of the Year, Jason Linnell.
On September 19th, Pierce picked up the $2,000 win at Buffalo River Race Park and was crowned the Buffalo Wild Wings "King of the Wings." The win was also the 10th of his relatively short, but successful career and cracked him inside the top 10 of the NOSA all-time wins list.
Despite the stellar season, Pierce finished 11 points shy of his second consecutive series championship to Wade Nygaard, which was the second closest points finish in NOSA history. Only Casey Mack's eight point advantage over Chris Shirek in the 2010 points race was closer.
Looking ahead, Pierce's drive for ninth on the wins list isn't very far. Greg Nikitenko sits ahead of him with 11 wins, but after a spectacular start to the 2015 campaign, it wouldn't be surprising to see Nikitenko park his #6N in victory lane in 2016 and possibly extend his slim cushion over Pierce.
NOSA Notebook:
Greg Nikitenko's Career Wins: 11
Grand Forks Speedway - July 31, 1998
Nodak Speedway - July 2, 2000
Nodak Speedway - June 30, 2000
Nodak Speedway - July 6, 2003
Nodak Speedway - June 27, 2004
Nodak Speedway - July 5, 2004
Jamestown Speedway - July 12, 2007
Williston Basin Speedway - July 27, 2007
River Cities Speedway - July 28, 2007
Nodak Speedway - September 2, 2007
Nodak Speedway - August 31, 2008
Austin Pierce's Career Wins: 10
Greenbush Race Park - June 29, 2013
River Cities Speedway - June 13, 2014
Red River Co-op Speedway - June 26, 2014
River Cities Speedway - July 11, 2014
River Cities Speedway - July 18, 2014
Jamestown Speedway - July 19, 2014
River Cities Speedway - August 22, 2014
Greenbush Race Park - July 4, 2015
River Cities Speedway - July 10, 2015
Buffalo River Race Park - September 19, 2015
Jason Linnell's Career Wins: 9
Grand Forks Speedway - August 9, 1996
River Cities Speedway - July 18, 2003
River Cities Speedway - June 18, 2004
River Cities Speedway - July 23, 2004
Nodak Speedway - July 12, 2007
River Cities Speedway - August 15, 2008
Nodak Speedway - August 30, 2008
River Cities Speedway - June 8, 2012
River Cities Speedway - July 6, 2012
*Special thanks to Steven Young for his help with various stats.
On September 19th, Pierce picked up the $2,000 win at Buffalo River Race Park and was crowned the Buffalo Wild Wings "King of the Wings." The win was also the 10th of his relatively short, but successful career and cracked him inside the top 10 of the NOSA all-time wins list.
Despite the stellar season, Pierce finished 11 points shy of his second consecutive series championship to Wade Nygaard, which was the second closest points finish in NOSA history. Only Casey Mack's eight point advantage over Chris Shirek in the 2010 points race was closer.
Looking ahead, Pierce's drive for ninth on the wins list isn't very far. Greg Nikitenko sits ahead of him with 11 wins, but after a spectacular start to the 2015 campaign, it wouldn't be surprising to see Nikitenko park his #6N in victory lane in 2016 and possibly extend his slim cushion over Pierce.
NOSA Notebook:
Greg Nikitenko's Career Wins: 11
Grand Forks Speedway - July 31, 1998
Nodak Speedway - July 2, 2000
Nodak Speedway - June 30, 2000
Nodak Speedway - July 6, 2003
Nodak Speedway - June 27, 2004
Nodak Speedway - July 5, 2004
Jamestown Speedway - July 12, 2007
Williston Basin Speedway - July 27, 2007
River Cities Speedway - July 28, 2007
Nodak Speedway - September 2, 2007
Nodak Speedway - August 31, 2008
Austin Pierce's Career Wins: 10
Greenbush Race Park - June 29, 2013
River Cities Speedway - June 13, 2014
Red River Co-op Speedway - June 26, 2014
River Cities Speedway - July 11, 2014
River Cities Speedway - July 18, 2014
Jamestown Speedway - July 19, 2014
River Cities Speedway - August 22, 2014
Greenbush Race Park - July 4, 2015
River Cities Speedway - July 10, 2015
Buffalo River Race Park - September 19, 2015
Jason Linnell's Career Wins: 9
Grand Forks Speedway - August 9, 1996
River Cities Speedway - July 18, 2003
River Cities Speedway - June 18, 2004
River Cities Speedway - July 23, 2004
Nodak Speedway - July 12, 2007
River Cities Speedway - August 15, 2008
Nodak Speedway - August 30, 2008
River Cities Speedway - June 8, 2012
River Cities Speedway - July 6, 2012
*Special thanks to Steven Young for his help with various stats.
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