11/5/2024
WISSOTA
SEARING STORMS TO SECOND CHALLENGE SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
2022 Challenge Series Champion Cole Searing didn’t even set out to chase the 2024 Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series championship, but after winning 2 of the first 3 events and having a month to reflect on his point lead, the upcoming schedule and speak to his inner circle, he made the decision, even without being a SERVPro Star of the Series and not be afforded the benefits that went along with that loyalty program, that he would set out to try for his second title, and the decision definitely paid off as he raced to the $10,000 payday at the end of the 21-race schedule.
Searing won the title back in 2022 when the series only contested 11 events, so winning the 2024 series title with 18 completed events of the 21 scheduled, plus with the boosted points fun, new format, additional sponsor bonuses and dynamic schedule was a true accomplishment for the driver from Huron, South Dakota. His 7-win season also landed him with a top five finish in the final WISSOTA Late Model national point standings at season’s end. Along the way, Cole finished inside the top ten in 32 of the 37 feature races he entered throughout 2024.
Being from Huron, South Dakota meant that Cole and his team were going to make lengthy trips to each series event on the calendar, as only one of the 21 races were scheduled in the state of South Dakota, at the Casino Speedway in Watertown. However, the way the schedule was set up, the series contested multiple events in the same geographic region once a month throughout the summer, making the travel worth it for the team from central South Dakota.
Searing ended up besting rival Tyler Peterson by just six points to clinch the championship, which came down to the final feature of the season to be decided. Had Peterson won the feature on championship night, Searing had to finish second or third to claim the title, but Peterson was only able to muster a 9th place finish, with Searing crossing the finish line in 3 rd , stamping his name as the 2024 series champ!
A record 142 drivers entered at least one series event during the 18 races that were contested across Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota this season. 12 drivers entered every series event and the series saw Searing win five times, Peterson also win five times, Rookie of the Year Shane Sabraski win four times and saw Scott Ward, Sam Mars, Kevin Burdick and Kyle Peterlin also pick up series wins along the way.
When asked about his surreal season, Searing mentioned ‘it’s pretty surreal when you can see all your team’s hard work finally get highlighted at the end of the year after all of the trials and tribulations.’
Throughout Cole’s 18 series races that he entered this season, he had to not only deal with travel week in and week out, racing at track’s he wasn’t familiar with on a pretty regular basis, but also wrecked a car on a Saturday in July and had to use a back-up car that he had never sat in the following night just to keep himself in the point hunt. He ended up racing that Steve Hucovski-owned car to a fifth-place finish while his car was being repaired.
Cole’s #10 is supported by Collins Brothers Towing of St. Cloud, Inc., Minnesota Truck Headquarters, Conkey Farms, Glade Cattle Company, Jerry Kleinsasser Farms, Dirt Race Central, JigE Signs & Graphics, Central Plains Construction, Farmers Union Insurance, CMD Race Shocks, Mars Race Cars, Swift Springs, Speedwerx, Brotherhood Arms, NAPA Central, All Auto Collision, Dixon Oil Recycling, Inc., Jensen Livestock, Chaos Photography, Del’s Taxidermy, Avail Wealth Management, Red Arrow Bar, Daly Fab, Wobbly Sausage Enterprises, Gladdis Logistics, Flyin’ Farmer Motorsports, X Ray Aviation, JD Concrete, Binger Cattle & Grain, Advanced Sunflower, Allied Climate Professionals, Kapella Machine Electronics and G&G Seamless. His team is also supported by his wife Ashley, his son Owen, as well as his crew, which consists of his parents Jim and Susan, along with his crew Todd, Cody and Derek.
Cole has been racing for fourteen years, where he has spent time in the Street Stock, Midwest Modified and Super Stock divisions and just completed his fourth season behind the wheel of his WISSOTA Late Model.
Notable wins for Searing this season included winning with the Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series five times on his way to picking up the series championship. His series victories came at the Viking Speedway, I-94 emr Speedway, KRA Speedway and at the Gondik Law Speedway twice. Other key victories were winning the Twin Ports Twin 25’s and the John Seitz Memorial Late Model Invitational as well.
Congrats to Cole and his team!
The WISSOTA Promoters Association exists to benefit its member tracks to enhance safe, profitable and successful dirt track racing, through unified, cost-effective rules, policies and procedures enacted within a democratic environment.
The WISSOTA Promoters Association was founded in 1981 by eight track promoters in Wisconsin and Minnesota, with an intent to offer uniform rules for the promoters and drivers involved in the Late Model division. Soon, the group decided to do the same for the growing Modified division.
In 1984 a voluntary steering committee was formed to oversee the business aspects that developed and to guide the future of WISSOTA’s racing divisions. That steering committee evolved into a board of directors, and the non-profit racing organization became incorporated in 1986.
Promoters who join the organization become, in essence, part owners of the racing organization and are expected to contribute to its overall success. Each November, the WISSOTA annual meeting is held; the member promoters gather annually in this forum to discuss the future of the organization. Member promoters are given the opportunity to vote on all organizational policies and procedures as well as rules for competition in the various racing divisions. WISSOTA’s member promoters and racing associations have spent approximately 30 years of hard work at the annual meetings crafting unique rules for each of the divisions, which are known as WISSOTA Late Models, WISSOTA Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Street Stocks, WISSOTA Mod Fours, WISSOTA Pure Stocks and WISSOTA Hornets.
WISSOTA is proudly sponsored by their official marketing partners: Hoosier Racing Tire, My Race Pass, NAPA Auto Parts, Dirt Race Central, Speedway Motors, Suburban Chevrolet and All The Dirt Racing News, along with their Platinum partners, Raceceiver and Chevrolet Performance, plus their Gold sponsors, which include EngineQuest, QA1, and World Products. WISSOTA is also sponsored by Silver partners Motul, AFCO and Willy’s Carburetor & Dyno Shop, plus Bronze sponsors, including Hanco Corporation and Statk Products. WISSOTA also has a great group of contingency sponsors, including Brodix Cylinder Heads, BuyRaceShirts.com, Manley, Allstar Performance, AMI Graphics, Winning Edge Graphics, Velocita, RaceCals, RaceGear Designs, All Star Trophy & Awards, Minuteman Press, UEM Pistons, Mahle Motorsports, Performance Auto and MD3. WISSOTA’s Late Model Challenge Series is proudly sponsored by Structural Buildings, Momentum Truck Group, Freightliner, Western Star, Minnesota Truck Headquarters, NAPA Auto Parts, Garage Tech X-treme, Raceceiver, AT21 Spoiler Factory, Velocita, BuyRaceShirts.com, Sunoco Race Fuels by Woodie’s Racing, Gorsuch Performance Solutions, Speedwerx, Hiller Auction Inc., Shaw Trucking Inc., Collins Bros Towing of St. Cloud, ServPro, Olsen Custom Farms, Joe Provo Racewear, My Race Pass, Hoosier Racing Tire, Motul, White City Glass, Champ Pans and MD3. WISSOTA’s Official Supporters include: American Heritage Bank, After The Checkers, Bid-2-Buy, Carlson Service Center, Engine Shop, Extreme Tint LLC, Frankman Motor Comp. Inc., FYE Motorsports Promotions, Hanso Paving, Heights Pizza Man, H&S Heating & Cooling, Hilmerson Spots Center, K&A Autobody, Kal’s Motor Group, Kramlich – Deede Meats, Landwehr Construction, Line-X of St. Cloud, Manheim Minnesota, Nyhus Family Sales, Outlaw Graphics, Select Electric, LLC, Sharptruck.com, Specialized Auto Glass, St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, TP Fabricating, Town & Country Excavating, Westwind Logistics, Woodie’s Racing, Woodie’s Manufacturing and Zeuli’s Race Engines.
For more information on WISSOTA, log on to www.WISSOTA.org.
Submitted By: Nikki Cook