4/27/2024
Wissota Late Model Challenge Series
2024 Series Blasts Off with Minnesota Triple Header Weekend
Year 26 of the Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series powered by Momentum Truck Group, Freightliner, Western Star kicks off with a trio of events this weekend at the I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, MN on Friday night, May 10th, with a stop at the Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN on Saturday night, May 11th and the series’ first of two appearances of the season on Sunday night, at the Granite City Motor Park in Sauk Rapids, MN, boasting $3,000 to win prizes for the winner each of the three nights.
To kick things off, the I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, MN will host the first series event of 2024, coming off hosting the series finale last September which saw Pat Doar slip by Ryan Mikkelson on the white flag lap to win the final race of the 25th anniversary season just seven months ago. I-94 has hosted the Challenge Series eight prior times, including twice a year ago with Doar being the only driver that has won more than one series event at the banked 3/8-mile oval. Doar has series wins at I-94 in both of the last two seasons. Other series winners in Fergus Falls include John Kaanta, Jake Redetzke, Jimmy Mars, Steve Laursen, track owner Don Shaw and last year’s series opener winner Bryce Sward.
The following night, Saturday, May 11th, the Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN will host the series for the 20th time throughout history, and for the first time since 2018. During the prior 19 visits, defending series champion Pat Doar has graced victory lane at the ‘High Flyin’ Half Mile’ five times, while Don Shaw, John Kaanta, Jeff Wildung and Dave Zimmerman have each won a pair of series events at Viking. Other winners include Joel Cryderman, Terry Casey, Adam Hensel, Ricky Weiss, Mitch Johnson and the late Duane Mahder. Shaw and Weiss split victories during the series most recent two stops during Memorial Day weekend of the 2018 season.
Sunday night, May 12th will cap off Mother’s Day weekend at the Granite City Motor Park in Sauk Rapids, MN with the first of two visits by the series to the St. Cloud, MN-area oval. Granite City has hosted four prior Challenge Series events with the most recent event being held a season ago with Jeff Massingill topping action during the 2023 stop. In 2021, Massingill and Jesse Glenz raced to wins during the series two visits and Don Shaw topped the field during the first ever visit back in 2015.
New Richmond, Wisconsin’s Pat Doar is the defending series champion, topping Jake Redetzke, Jeff Massingill, Sam Mars and Ryan Mikkelson in last year’s final point standings. Doar and fellow six time series champion John Kaanta are both looking for their record 7th series title at season’s end.
Racing is schedule to begin at 7pm on Friday night, and at 6pm on both Saturday and Sunday nights.
All three events will be livestreamed on WISSOTA.tv for those unable to be at the track in person to enjoy the action.
For more information, please log on to www.WissotaChallengeSeries.com.
Submitted By: Nikki Cook
