9/4/2024
WISSOTA
Tight Point Battle Set To Be Decided At Final Series Event on Wednesday, September 11th
Hickson, North Dakota’s Tyler Peterson leads Huron, South Dakota’s Cole Searing by just eleven points heading into the final Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series powered by Momentum Truck Group, Freightliner, Western Star event at the I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minnesota on Wednesday, September 11th during the opening night of the Speedway Motors WISSOTA 100.
The duo has swapped the point lead, and the AT21 fluorescent yellow point leader spoiler, several times since the series kicked off in May, with Searing leading for the majority of the summer, losing the lead to Peterson during the Northern Storm week, but then taking the point lead back after the week-long event concluded. Peterson then took back the point lead this past weekend after the WISSOTA Classic at the Grand Rapids Speedway. Peterson led Searing by 1 marker heading into the opening night of the Labor Day Shootout at the Hibbing Raceway in Hibbing, MN. Peterson was able to build his lead to 20 points after the first night in Hibbing, but Searing was able to trim the lead back to 11 after the final night of Labor Day weekend.
With the point lead being eleven, several scenarios are in play, but the easiest one to understand is, if Peterson finishes in front of Searing on Wednesday the 11th, he will win his first ever Challenge Series point championship, however if Searing happens to win the feature during the final event of the series, Peterson will need to finish 2nd, 3rd or 4th to claim the title. If Searing wins and Peterson finishes 5th or worse, Searing will go on to claim his second series title for his efforts. If neither Peterson or Searing win the feature, it will come down to who finishes where and how many positions are in between them when the final checkered flag flies.
Both drivers are throwing out a 75-point show heading into the final event of the season as well, so the throw out show should not come into play to determine the overall series champion.
Behind the leaders, there are also several tight point battles going on from third on back, with Shane Sabraski solidly in third in the current standings. He also leads the GTX Rookie of the Year point standings over Adam Ayotte and Cory Crapser as the season comes to a close.
Fourth place in the final standings is very much up for grabs with Jeff Provinzino leading Ryan Mikkelson but just 16 points and Kevin Burdick is only 9 behind Mikkelson for the final spot inside the top five. Jeff Massingill sits only 63 points out of fourth and just 48 out of fifth.
For fans unable to be at the series finale, every lap will be live on www.Wissota.tv.
132 WISSOTA-licensed drivers have attended at least one series event so far this season. The top ten in the final point standings will receive a point fund check at the annual banquet in November and the drawing for the ServPro Stars of the Series end of season trip will be drawn at the driver’s meeting at the final event of the season on the 11th.
For more information, log on to www.WissotaChallengeSeries.com.
Submitted By: Nikki Cook