WISSOTA Challenge Series begins 4-city swing tonight

HURON — A pair of events at Dakota State Fair Speedway will highlight a four-race swing through South Dakota for the Shaw Trucking WISSOTA Challenge Series, which features the top late model drivers.
The South Dakota swing will kick off today at DSFS with the Iverson’s Dakota Challenge at 7 p.m. Following tonight’s $5,000-to-win event at the Huron track, the series heads to Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen on Friday for the $2,000-to-win Bulle Sportswear Challenger, returns to Dakota State Fair Speedway for the $10,000-to-win Challenge Cup XVII presented by Prostrollo Motor on Saturday and concludes Sunday with the $2,071-to-win Marilyn Olson Memorial Race at Casino Speedway in Watertown.
“We had like 54 cars last year on Thursday night and then it dwindled a little bit on Saturday night because of some different things, but just about all of them stuck back at it,” DSFS trac promoter Orville Chenoweth said. “We have a good swing and then with Wheel Jam starting Friday on the South Dakota State Fairgrounds, there’s a lot of people coming a day early to enjoy the festivities.”
Jason Krohn of Slayton, Minn., is the defending champion for the Iverson’s Dakota Challenge. After collecting the $5,000 check a year ago, he returned to the Huron oval to record the sweep by also emerging with the win during Challenge Cup XVI presented by Prostrollo Motors.
Krohn has competed in one of the two Shaw Trucking Challenge Series events thus far this season, finishing 11th during an event held Saturday at Viking Speedway in Alexandria, Minn.
Steve Laursen of Cumberland, Wis., won the opening event of the 2017 Shaw Trucking Challenge Series, which was held Friday at I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minn. Jeff Wildung of Nassau, Minn., was second, followed by Rick Hanestad of Boyceville, Wis.; Curt Gelling of Aberdeen; and John Kaanta of of Elk Mound, Wis.

On Saturday, Don Shaw of Ham Lake, Minn., earned the victory at Viking Speedway, with Kaanta finishing second. Brad Seng of Grand Forks, N.D., was third, followed by Kent Arment of Aberdeen and Marshall Fegers of Savage, Minn.
After two of the 17 total events, Kaanta is the points leader in the Shaw Trucking Challenge Series with 106 points. Wildung holds a one-point edge over Hanestad for the second and spot and leads Fegers by just two points. Laursen is fifth with 92, while Arment and Lance Matthees of Winona, Minn., share the sixth spot with 92 points each.
Rounding out the top 10 in the standings are Cole Schill of Horace, N.D., at 89; Shaw at 88; and Gelling at 87.
Jake Redetzke of Eau Claire, Wis., is the 2016 Challenge Series champion. Jeffrey Massingill of Keewatin, Minn., was second, followed by Chad Mahder of Eau Claire, Wis.; Wildung; and Mathees.
Planning to join the fore-mentioned drivers on the South Dakota swing are Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis.; Jeff Provinzino of Hibbing, Minn.; Kyle Peterlin of Hibbing, Minn.; Dave Smith of Edmonton, Alberta; Matt Smith of Edmonton, Alberta; David McDonald of Huron; Chad Becker of Aberdeen; Scott Ward of Watertown; Aaron Krohn of Slayton; Minn.; AJ Diemel of Elk Mound, Wis.; Greg Meyer of Wahpeton, N.D.; Shawn Meyer of Wahpeton, N.D.; and Casey Meyer of Wahpeton, N.D.
“We’ve been averaging 15 late models every week and some times we have 20, so we have a lot that have already started here,” Chenoweth said. “If we add another 30-40 we will be in good shape.”
Joining the WISSOTA late models for the Iverson’s Dakota Challenge today will be the WISSOTA super stocks and street stock divisions. On Saturday for Challenge Cup XVII presented by Prostrollo Motors, the WISSOTA Midwest modifieds will be joining the late models.
Advanced ticket sales for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series event, which will be held at Dakota State Fair Speedway on July 1, will be available in the near future visit www.dakotapromotions.com or www.SLSpromotions.com for updates on advanced ticket sales.