9/2/2024
Wissota Late Model Challenge Series
Streak Snapped: Searing Stops Peterlin, Tops Provo to Win Labor Day Sunday in Hibbing
For Immediate Release – September 1st, 2024
The Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series powered by Momentum Truck Group, Freightliner, Western Star wrapped up the Labor Day Shootout weekend at the Hibbing Raceway in Hibbing, Minnesota and fans saw a whale of a race with Cole Searing coming out on top of a lead swapping duel with Hibbing’s own Jeff Provinzino to win his 5th Challenge Series race of the 2024 season and cut into Tyler Peterson’s point lead heading into the final series race of the season at the I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, MN on Wednesday, September 11th.
Shane Sabraski started the night by setting fast time with a lap of 13.306 seconds around the tight oval, while Gunner Frank, Cole Searing, Keith Niemi and Jeff Provinzino winning the four qualifying heat races early in the night’s program. Shane Sabraski and Harry Hanson won the twin b-mains.
Searing and Provinzino earned the front row for the night’s 40-lap, $3,000-to-win feature event with Searing getting the upper hand on the initial start from the pole and leading the field into turn number one on the opening circuit only to have the start called back after a tangle at the tail of the field didn’t allow the field to complete the opening lap.
On the restart, Searing got the upper hand and took off into the lead with Provinzino close in tow. The battle for third early on was stout between Tyler Peterson, Ben Heinle and Johnny Broking, with Peterson emerging in third early in the event. Provinzino was able to race back by Searing into the lead early and set off into the night out front.
Laps clicked off quickly with two and three wide battles the norm throughout traffic with entertaining races for third, as well as fifth between Keith Niemi and Ben Heinle. As the field reached the halfway point, Provinzino led with Searing, Peterson, Broking and Niemi inside the top five.
The second caution of the night flew on lap 24, which bunched the field up and allowed Searing to stay close to Provinzino out front. On the restart, Searing jumped the cushion and slipped over the banking back into the seventh spot, but a crash occurred in turn three at the same time, negating the lap and giving Searing new life, putting him back into the runner up spot on the next start.
On that start, Provinzino took back off into the lead with Searing searching for the fastest way around to try to get by the 28 into the lead. Meanwhile, last night’s winner Kyle Peterlin was working his way from his 9th starting spot into the top five on lap 26, while the leaders were battling in close quarters out front.
The final caution of the night flew with just 8 laps to go and on the final restart of the event, Searing found something on the top side and began to roll up alongside Provinzino for the top spot as the two ran nose to tail and side by side out front with Searing finally being able to sweep around the outside of Provinzino’s car as they raced into turn one with just 6 laps to go.
Once out front, Searing raced to his 5th series win of the season by 1.200 seconds. Provinzino finished second with Peterson third. Fourth went to Broking with Sabraski rounding out the top five. Peterlin, Niemi, Budisalovich, Vang and Heinle rounded out the top ten finishers.
Mervin Castle III won the WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature, while Tristan LaBarge won a wild WISSOTA Super Stock feature race. Shane Sabraski won the Modified feature and Justin Schelitzche won the Hornet main event to cap off the night.
Full results can be found on MyRacePass.com
The next 2024 Challenge Series event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 11th at the I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, MN as part of the annual Speedway Motors WISSOTA 100.
For upcoming schedule information and tickets, visit www.WISSOTAChallengeSeries.com.
Flying Dirt Photos
Submitted By: Nikki Cook
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