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Sabraski speeds to feature win in final Challenge Series stop of 2024 and earns rookie award, but Searing scores series championship with strong final run

By Chris Stepan

ST. CLOUD, MN - The 2024 edition of the Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series powered by Momentum Truck Group, Freightliner, and Western Star wrapped up Wednesday, September 11 at the Speedway Motors WISSOTA 100. Shane Sabraski won the finale and secured the GTX Rookie of the Year honors, while Cole Searing raced to his second-career series championship by virtue of his third-place finish in the feature race. He was able to overcome an 11-point deficit entering the final event to clinch the title.

Searing takes home a $10,000 paycheck, in addition to Hoosier tires, a fuel jug, a new AT21 spoiler, a case of Motul oil, a Gorsuch Performance fan, a Liteceiver by Raceceiver, and other products from the series sponsors.

Searing raced to five series victories on the season and nipped Peterson by just six points atop the final standings to secure the championship, having previously won the title in 2022. Searing won at I-94, Viking, KRA, Gondik Law and Hibbing throughout his championship season.

The Challenge Series, which originated in 1999, has paid the winner a hefty $10,000 paycheck in each of the previous 25 years. Second through 10th in the final series point standings will enjoy an increase in the end-of-season points fund for the first time in series history.

Series runner-up Tyler Peterson will pocket a $7,500 point fund check, bumped up from $5,000 in previous years, with the third-place finisher Sabraski taking home a $5,000 check, an increase from $4,000 in years past. Fourth and fifth place (Jeff Provinzino and Ryan Mikkelson) will each take home an extra $1,000 from previous years in their point fund checks.

Sixth through 10th—Kevin Burdick, Jeff Massingill, Joel Bennett, Rick Niemi and Adam Ayotte—will also see increases in their payout over previous years.

Every ServPro Star of the Series will additionally receive a $1,000 check as part of the ServPro Stars entry fee reimbursement program as well. Twelve drivers followed the entire series from start to finish, earning point fund checks and/or reward at season’s end.

Gunner Frank and Patrick Kelley, who finished 11th and 12th in the final series standings, will also receive a $1,000 check as part of the entry fee reimbursement program.

Sabraski earns $1,000 as the GTX Rookie of the Year award, while Burdick had his name drawn at the final pit meeting to win the ServPro Stars of the Series trip, a perk of being a ServPro Star of the Series. He can take a vacation during the off-season at ServPro’s expense.

For more information on Challenge Series, log onto www.WISSOTAChallengeSeries.com.