Huron driver Cole Searing goes back-to-back at Arizona event

HURON —  The 2019 racing season got off to similar start to what took place in 2018 for Huron’s Cole Searing.
After trekking south to compete in his first Wild West Shootout at Arizona Speedway in 2018, Searing made the return trip this year and earned a second straight X mod championship at the six-day event, which concluded Jan. 13.
“I enjoy the unique atmosphere, warm temperature and the unique awards that they give away,” said Searing, who finished third in the WISSOTA super stock national points race last season.
“The first championship was unbelievable. Last year we had no expectations except just have fun and relax. Then to come back and back it up with four wins and another championship really put the icing on the cake.”
In addition to backing up his three-win performance from the 2018 Wild West Shootout, Searing also had other plans for this year’s trip and those plans unfolded during the first night of the event
“The first night when we started ninth as we went out on the track I thought there would be no way I could win from that far back,” he said “We drove hard and smooth and made it to the front for the win to start off the week really strong.”
After the customary Victory Lane celebration, which includes climbing from the car, doning a cowboy hat and firing a pair of six shooters into the sky, Searing capped the night by proposing to his girlfriend — Ashley Marie Gaddis.
It was the first-ever proposal in the Winner’s Circle at the Wild West Shootout.

“Yes, that was awesome,” he said of presenting the engagement ring in Victory Lane. “I had it planned before hand, but the only stipulation was I had to win, so I could do it in Victory Lane. That’s why I drove as hard as I did the first night. I wanted to get it done and have a fun vacation with my fiance!”
Throughout his stock car racing career Searing has compiled 136 feature wins and eight track championships at area speedways in the super stock division. He also is the 5-time South Dakota points champion in the division and the 2014 Jamestown Stampede champion.
Despite having had tremendous success with his super stock, Searing enjoys the occasional opportunity to settle in behind the steering wheel of a B modified, which is referred to as an X mod during the Wild West Shootout.
“It’s way different,” Searing said of competing in both divisions. “I like my super stock more for weekly racing, but I do enjoy going traveling and heading south with the B mod.”
The Wild West Shootout attracts some of the nation’s top drivers for nearly a week of racing each January.
“In ways it is the same,” Searing said of racing in Arizona, compared to at various area tracks. “It’s just a little more laid back and stress free, because we aren’t chasing points. We’re just having fun racing in the middle of January.
“The competition down there is fierce,” he said. “The top three in WISSOTA B mod national points were all down there in competition.”
A total of 57 late models, 59 modifieds and 57 X mods competed in this year’s event.
Searing qualified for the X mod feature during all six shows, and emerged with four wins to go along with a second- and third-place finish in six feature races.
“It involves a lot of good luck. In order to get a good starting spot in the feature you need to pass a lot of cars in your heat race to get good passing points,” he said. “We were able to stay levelheaded, smooth, consistent, and it all fell in line.”
During the six-day event Searing amassed 396 points, which put him 76 points in front of Josh Cain, who was the runner-up.
Defending WISSOTA national B mod champion Skeeter Estes of Kelly Lake, Minn., was fifth – 50 points behind Cain, while Austin Hunter of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who was the 2018 runner-up in the WISSOTA B mod national standings, was sixth.
Lance Schill of Langdon, N.D., who was third in the B mod national points, was ninth at this year’s Wild West Shootout.
With winning the final night’s feature race and the overall X mod title at this year’s Wild West Shootout, Searing was treated to extravagent celebration in Victory Lane, which included climbing onto one of the two longhorns that were brought in for the celebration.
“My favorite part is getting to have all my crew down there for one big picture; they deserve it as much as anyone,” he said of the championship celebration. “Climbing on the longhorn was a different deal. I’ve never been on one before, but it was pretty neat to capture some cool pictures of it.”
With a second Wild West Shootout title in hand, Searing will now shift his focus to preparing for the 2019 summer racing season at the local tracks, where he plans to compete full time with his super stock and on a part-time basis in the B mod, which he purchased from Brandon George of Rapid City following this year’s Wild West Shootout.