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Dave Mass, the 2025 WISSOTA Challenge Series champion (Mark Anderson Photo)
Challenge Series sets 2026 schedule with return favorites & new events ahead
ST. CLOUD, MN - The Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series recently released its completed schedule for the 2026 season, including more than 20 stops across WISSOTA Country and highlighted by new events along the way.
The series starts at I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minnesota again this season, with drivers opening up action on May 15. Last year, Proctor, Minnesota’s Kevin Burdick captured the victory at the Don Shaw-owned facility by blocking a last-lap slider from Shaw to garner the series-opening win.
The drivers then head to Alexandria, Minnesota on Saturday, May 16 to compete at Viking Speedway. Longtime series chaser and Hibbing native Jeff Provinzino took home the win there last season.
On Sunday, May 17, the series moves on to Sauk Rapids to finish out the first weekend at Granite City Motor Park. Former multi-time WISSOTA Challenge Series Champion Cole Searing, of Huron, South Dakota, grabbed the win in 2025.
In June, the series has a new two-day stop on the schedule for drivers June 5-6. Fiesta City Speedway, in Montevideo, Minnesota, plays host to a two-night stay. Last year Shane Sabraski topped the field during the series’ lone visit to the Chippewa County Fairgrounds speedplant.
Then the drivers will head west to Casino Speedway in Watertown, South Dakota, for the annual stop that’s part of the speedway’s 14th annual Marilyn Olson Memorial June 7. In 2025, hometown driver Scott Ward nailed down the victory.
The series drivers will enjoy a bit of a breather then for the remainder of June, as they gather back together over the long 4th of July holiday weekend in Superior, Wisconsin for a two-day stay at Gondik Law Speedway July 3-4 for the Border Battle event. In 2025, veteran and former WISSOTA Challenge Series multi-time champion Pat Doar was victorious during the first night, while Mother Nature washed out the second night of action.
Drivers then take the series to ABC Raceway on Thursday, July 16 for the 444 Special, held in memory of racer Tanner Byholm, who died in an aviation accident in 2021. Last year’s event also fell to rain, while Sabraski was the victor in 2024.
Another big event on the calendar follows the next day at Gondik Law Speedway. On Friday, July 17 the speedway will host the series as part of the annual Twin Ports 25s event. In 2025, Dave Mass scored the victory in the Challenge Series portion of the night.
On August 7 the series heads to Menomonie, Wisconsin and Red Cedar Speedway, located at the Dunn County Fairgrounds. Last year, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin’s Jesse Glenz notched the victory.
Rice Lake Speedway will welcome the series the next night on August 8. In 2025, the event was rained out.
August 13 begins a harrowing back half of the schedule for racers, with 11 races held in about a month’s time. That Thursday drivers will roll out onto KRA Speedway, located in Willmar, Minnesota. Last year, Searing won the feature during the series’ visit to the track, located along the shores of Foot Lake.
On Friday night, August 14, the series heads to Princeton Speedway in Princeton, Minnesota. The track, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026, did not host a race for many years, so it may be a new experience for many of the younger drivers on tour.
The series then heads to Ogilvie Raceway in Ogilvie, Minnesota for racing on August 15. The Wagamon-family owned race track hosted one event in 2025, where local racer Josh Zimpel took the crowd-favorite win and $5,000 payday.
On Sunday, August 16, the series will close out the weekend at Granite City Motor Park, stopping at the Sauk Rapids oval once more in 2026. In 2025 Sabraski held off Billy Kendall in the series’ second stay.
And then begins two heavy weeks of fierce action as the series heads full speed into its final points nights. Wednesday, September 2, the drivers will unload at Gondik Law Speedway for more heated action in Superior, as part of a new event named “The Road to the Silver,” referencing the next night’s action at the Silver 1000 at Proctor Speedway. A heavy-hitting group of local wheelmen will no doubt be waiting to show the visitors how it’s done.
On Thursday, September 3, the racers move on to Proctor Speedway for the aforementioned Silver 1000. This time-honored tradition, started in the 1970s, has a long list of WISSOTA’s top stars who have won this prestigious race over the years. In 2025, Ashley Anderson scored his second Silver 1000 Late Model victory, the first coming in 2007. He also has a Modified title.
The next stop for the long Labor Day weekend is Grand Rapids Speedway Friday, September 4 for the WISSOTA Classic. The track, located at the Itasca Co. Fairgrounds in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, will host the series as part of its WISSOTA Classic special event. Mass was the winner of the race in 2025.
Hibbing Speedway will then welcome the racers for its two-day Labor Day Shootout event September 5-6, another historical race that has become a must-attend event over the last several decades. In 2025, Kevin Eder made his way from 11th on the grid to capture the memorable victory on Saturday, while hometown boy Kyle Peterlin was victorious on Sunday.
Finally, I-94 Speedway and the WISSOTA 100 will showcase the remaining two races of the 2026 series September 15-16. Coming full circle, the first night of action will be held Tuesday, with the second show Wednesday night of the WISSOTA 100 week. Last year, Eder backed up his efforts in Hibbing with a 10th-to-first drive for the victory Tuesday, while Zimpel returned to Challenge Series victory lane to conclude the season on Wednesday.
With the points tallied, Dave Mass was the 2025 WISSOTA Challenge Series Champion, adding his name to the list of champions, which is a venerable who’s who of WISSOTA Late Model racing over the last four-plus decades.
Who will be this year’s champion? Follow along with the 2026 series by visiting https://www.wissotachallengeseries.com/.