7/25/2024
Wissota Late Model Challenge Series
2024 WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series Mid-Season Report
For Immediate Release – July 25th, 2024
The Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series powered by Momentum Truck Group, Freightliner, Western Star has hit the mid-point of the 2024 schedule with ten events completed and another eleven scheduled before crowing a $10,000 champion at season’s end.
Winner Tally:
After ten events, Cole Searing and Tyler Peterson each have three victories, plus Shane Sabraski has a pair and Scott Ward and Sam Mars each have one a piece.
Season Recap:
I-94 emr Speedway saw Cole Searing lead early and then steal the lead back on the final corner from Sam Mars to win his first series race on 2024. Mars, Ryan Mikkelson, Dave Mass and Jeff Massingill rounded out the top five in the ’24 opener.
Viking Speedway nearly saw a repeat, as Searing roared to his second consecutive series win, but not before Mars and Tyler Peterson both threw a double slider on him late in the race to try to steal the win. Searing lead early and then after a late race restart, Peterson and Mars both ganged up on Searing to try to steal the top spot, but Searing was able to cross them both back over and pick up his second straight win. Peterson, Mars, Jeff Provinzino and Kollin Hibdon were top five finishers.
Granite City saw pole sitter Peterson hold off a charging Shane Sabraski to win his first series race on 2024 when the checkered flew. Peterson led the entire distance, but 6th starting Sabraski roared to second mid-race and challenged Peterson for the top spot as the laps wound down. Peterson won the race with Sabraski, Kevin Eder, 16th starting Cole Searing and Jeff Provinzino rounding out the top five.
The June swing kicked off at the KRA Speedway, which saw Searing get back to his winning ways, racing from 6th to the lead with just seven laps to go as he swept by race long leader Cory Crapser to take the top spot. Crapser ran second with Matt Gilbertson, Ryan Mikkelson and Tyler Peterson inside the top five when the checkered flag flew.
The Fiesta City Speedway held a doubleheader and night one saw some fireworks as Searing and Peterson went to war out front with Searing looking as if he would race to yet another win, before a flat tire on the final lap allowed Peterson to race by for the victory. Searing held on for second with Matt Gilbertson, Cory Crapser and Jeff Massingill in the top five.
The second night at Fiesta City saw more of the same with the exact same top three finishers, including Peterson, Searing and Gilbertson occupying the three podium spots, just ahead of Ryan Mikkelson and Joel Bennett, who raced to his first top five with the series.
The June swing ended at the Casino Speedway and it was a wild one with local driver Scott Ward coming out on top of a hard-fought battle with Jeff Provinzino and Tyler Peterson at the end of the 40-lapper. Ward picked up the emotional hometown win ahead of Provinzino, Peterson, Kevin Burdick and Chad Becker.
The July swing started at the Gondik Law Speedway for the annual Twin Ports Twin 25’s and Shane Sabraski was able to run off with his first career Challenge Series victory after leading all 25 circuits. John Kaanta crossed the line in second with Josh Zimpel, Don Shaw and Adam Ayotte, in his first series top five, rounding out the top five at the checkered.
Cedar Lake Speedway hosted the track’s annual Month of Money event next with Sam Mars, AJ Diemel and Danny Bargender putting on one of the best shows of the season all race long. Mars ended up in victory lane with Bargender nipping Diemel for second. AJ ran third, ahead of Ashley Anderson and Darrell Nelson in fifth.
The third night of the July swing capped off with at the Granite City Motor Park for the series’ second stop of the season and saw Shane Sabraski get his second series win and first at his hometown track. Tyler Peterson ran second with Kevin Burdick, Jesse Glenz and Cole Searing, driving a Steve Hucovski back up car, in fifth.
Points Chase:
Searing leads Peterson atop the current point standings by just two markers with Rookie of the Year point leader Sabraski in third, ahead of Mikkelson and Provinzino in the top five heading into the August week. Kevin Burdick, Jeff Massingill, Adam Ayotte, Joel Bennett and Rick Niemi sit sixth through tenth currently as well.
Full results and point standings can be found on MyRacePass.com
Upcoming Events:
The Challenge Series gets back to action with a huge six-day swing during the annual XR Northern Storm Tour, featuring events on August 5th thru 10th. Events will be held at the Princeton Speedway, Ogilvie Raceway, Hibbing Raceway, Proctor Speedway, Gondik Law Speedway and culminates with a $20,444 to win event during the annual 444 at the ABC Raceway followed by four-day Labor Day weekend on August 29th through September 1st at the Proctor Speedway, Grand Rapids Speedway and a doubleheader at the Hibbing Raceway and then the final event of the season on Wednesday night, September 11th at the I-94 emr Speedway to cap off the 26th anniversary season for the series.
For upcoming schedule information and tickets, visit www.WISSOTAChallengeSeries.com.
Submitted By: Nikki Cook
