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With 10 wins for the week at the Darke County fair, Jeff Nisonger won
the annual Chip Noble
Award for being the winningest driver of the
week. CNO File Photo by George Starks
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Nisonger wins
Noble award
By George Starks
GREENVILLE- It was August of 2014 when the harness horse racing world
lost Sam “Chip” Noble. Noble was one of the best in the field of the
sport, losing his life at the age of 60.
At the Great Darke County Fair, his memory lives on as the winningest
driver for the week, is named the winner of the Chip Noble Award.
Friday night, before the start of the eighth race at the fair, Jeff
Nisonger was named the winner of the award.
Now 36, Nisonger started his racing career at the age of 16, getting
his very first career win at Darke County.
After 20 years, Nisonger has amassed over 3,000 wins, with number 3,000
coming this past winter at the Miami Valley Raceway, and is one of the
most sought after drivers around.
“This means a lot to me because it’s here at home,” said Nisonger, a
Greenville native. “I started my career here and got my first win here.
It’s fun for me to come here and winning this in memory of Chip is even
better. Chip was one of the best and I don’t thinks there is a horseman
in Ohio that didn’t learn something from Chip at one time or another.
Weather it was training or driving, Chip was a fountain of knowledge
and he’s missed. I always considered him a friend.”
Year in and year out, Nisonger seems to shine at his hometown fair.
“I set up for this,” exclaimed Nisonger. “I have my own horses here,
the ones I train and that makes it easier. This fair means everything
to me because this is where I came from. I always want to come home but
because of changes, you have to move away sometimes. It’s financially
easier for me where I’m at but I make it a habit every year to come
home.”
Nisonger had the privilege to drive My Hero Ron to a second place
finish in the Gene Riegle Memorial Friday.
Sports Sinner with Jack Dailey in the sulky, won the $42,000 purse in a
time of 1:53.4
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