5/11/2024
Wissota Late Model Challenge Series
Cole Searing Kicks Off ’24 Challenge Series with Thrilling I-94 Victory
For Immediate Release – May 10th, 2024
The first event on the 2024 calendar for the Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series powered by Momentum Truck Group, Freightliner, Western Star fired off at the I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minnesota for the opening night of the WISSOTA 100 and saw Huron, South Dakota’s Cole Searing win the 40-lap feature driven by Nelson GMC of Fergus Falls to kickstart the 26th season for the series by surviving a monster slide job in the final turn by Sam Mars to get the victory.
An incredibly stout field of 46 WISSOTA Late Model competitors descended on Fergus Falls, MN and saw defending series champion Pat Doar start the night by setting fast time with a lap of 16.182 seconds around the clay oval, while Jake Redetzke, Shane Edginton, Thomas Weisgram, Shane Sabraski and Dave Mass topped the five qualifying heat races early in the night’s program. Cole Schill and Doar won the night’s b-mains to set the 25-car feature starting lineup.
Sam Mars and Ryan Mikkelson earned the front row for the night’s $3,000 to win, 40-lap feature event with Mars getting the upper hand on the initial start and leading the field into turn number one and lead the opening lap.
Mars ran out front over the first five laps with Searing, Mikkelson, Mass and Jeff Massingill inside the top five early.
The first caution of the 40-lapper flew on lap 5 when Edginton clipped an infield tire and suffered a mechanical issue on the front stretch.
On the restart, Searing blasted around the cushion and crossed over Mars for the lead as they raced into turn three. Searing was able to clear Mars for the lead and began to drive off our front.
As the leaders raced off into the central Minnesota night, the best battle on the track was for fifth between Redetzke, Nick Panitzke and Massingill, as those three swapped positions lap after lap just behind the leaders.
Searing lead Mars, Mikkelson, Mass and Redetzke at the half way point.
The remainder of the race ran non-stop with great action throughout the field and it looked as if Searing was going to run off with the win, but on the final lap, Mars mounted one final challenge and got close enough to throw a hail mary at Searing on the final corner, sliding up in front of the #10 car. Cole was able to cross Sammy back over and won the drag race to the finish line for his third career Challenge Series finish. The win was by 0.136 seconds.
Following Searing and Mars to the line were Mikkelson in third, Mass and Massingill in the top five, with Sabraski, Panitzke, Jeff Provinzino, Redetzke and hard charger Kevin Burdick completing the top ten finishers on the night.
Ryan Gierke won the WISSOTA Modified feature, while Chase Pourrier won the WISSOTA Hornet main. Ty Agen won the WISSOTA Street Stock feature, Nate Reinke won the WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature and Scott Herrington won the GenX Late Model feature as well.
Tonight’s contingency award winners included:
Collins Bros. Towing Long Tow Award – Gunner Frank (458 miles)
Hiller Auction Quick Qualifier Award – Pat Doar (16.182 seconds)
MyRacePass Pole Award – Sam Mars
Olsen Custom Farms Hard Luck Award – Shane Edginton
Wehrs Machine Hard Charger Award – Kevin Burdick (+9)
GTX Rookie of the Race – Shane Sabraski (6th)
Full results can be found on MyRacePass.com
The Viking Speedway in Alexandria, Minnesota hosts the Challenge Series tomorrow night, Saturday, May 11th for the first time since 2018 with a 6pm start time.
For upcoming schedule information and tickets, visit www.WISSOTAChallengeSeries.com.
Submitted By: Nikki Cook
