5/13/2024
Wissota Late Model Challenge Series
Peterson Powers to Mother’s Day Challenge Series Stop at Granite City
The third event on the 2024 calendar for the Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series powered by Momentum Truck Group, Freightliner, Western Star was held at the Granite City Motor Park in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota for the third night of the opening weekend and saw Hickson, North Dakota’s Tyler Peterson win the 40-lap feature driven by Minnesota Truck Headquarters to wrap up the opening weekend of the 26th season for the series by leading every lap en route to his fourth career series victory.
A great Mother’s Day field of 29 WISSOTA Late Model competitors made the tow to the St. Cloud, MN area and saw Todd Frank start the night by setting fast time with a lap of 13.906 seconds around the clay oval, while Kevin Burdick, Tyler Peterson and Joel Bennett topped the three qualifying heat races early in the night’s program. Jeff Massingill won the night’s b-main to set the 25-car feature starting lineup.
Peterson and Burdick earned the front row for the night’s $3,000 to win, 40-lap feature event with Peterson getting the upper hand on the initial start and leading the field into turn number one and lead the opening lap.
Peterson raced out front alone early with Burdick and Kevin Eder racing hard for second early. As the laps clicked off, the leaders began to encounter the tail of the field and Eder rolled up on the leaders, making a very entertaining three car race out front, with Shane Sabraski charging as well.
Just behind them, Jeff Provinzino and Ryan Mikkelson were tangled up in a solid race just outside of the top five as well.
Peterson led Eder, Burdick, Sabraski and Provinzino at the half way point.
The first caution flew for debris on lap 24, bunching up the field and allowing everyone to have a shot at race leader Peterson with just six laps to go. On the restart, Sabraski was able to roll by Eder and Burdick into the runner up spot, while Cole Searing was also charging from his 19th starting spot.
On the restart, the field took back off into turn one, but the final caution, which was actually a red flag for a Rick Niemi flip in turn two, shut down action immediately and after the cleanup and fence repair, the field fired back off and Peterson picked up where he left off, leading the final circuits for his 4th Challenge Series victory of his career and first of 2024.
Following Peterson to the line was Sabraski, Eder, Searing and Provinzino in the top five, with Mikkelson, Hibdon, Bennett, Massingill and Zimpel completing the top ten finishers on the night.
Jake Smith won the WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature, while Justin Schelitzche won the WISSOTA Hornet main. Dexton Koch won the WISSOTA Super Stock feature as well.
Tonight’s contingency award winners included:
Collins Bros. Towing Long Tow Award – Joel Bennett (332 miles)
Hiller Auction Quick Qualifier Award – Todd Frank (13.906 seconds)
MyRacePass Pole Award – Tyler Peterson
Olsen Custom Farms Hard Luck Award – Rick Niemi
Wehrs Machine Hard Charger Award – Cole Searing (+15)
GTX Rookie of the Race – Shane Sabraski (2nd)
Full results can be found on MyRacePass.com
The Challenge Series gets back to action with a four-day swing across Western Minnesota and the series’ only stop in South Dakota on Thursday-Sunday, June 6th-9th with an appearance at the KRA Speedway in Willmar, MN on Thursday, before a double header at the Fiesta City Speedway in Montevideo, MN on Friday and Saturday nights and then a show at the Casino Speedway in Watertown, SD on Sunday night to wrap up the weekend.
Cole Searing will lead the series points into the next swing, 30 points ahead of Peterson, Provinzino, Mikkelson and Sabraski.
For upcoming schedule information and tickets, visit www.WISSOTAChallengeSeries.com.
Submitted By: Nikki Cook