FERGUS FALLS, Minn. — With a third-place finish during the opening night of the 2024 Speedway Motors WISSOTA 100 at 1-94 Speedway on Wednesday, Cole Searing of Huron clinched the 2024 Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series title.

The finish was enough for Searing to edge Tyler Peterson of Hickson, N.D., who was ninth in Wednesday’s 40-lap feature, by six points.

It was the second WISSOTA Challenge Series title for Searing, who also accomplished the feat in 2022.

Searing finished the 18-race 2024 WISSOTA Challenge Series schedule with five wins. He inked 13 finishes inside the top 5 and ran in the top 10 a total of 16 teams.

Peterson also had five victories and 13 top-5 finishes, by had one less top-10 finish than Searing.

With the top-3 finish, Searing locked himself into a third-row starting spot for the WISSOTA 100 feature race on Saturday. He gained one spot to finish sixth in the 33-car field during the 50-lap main event.