No matter what level Cole Searing has raced at – go-karts or various levels of race cars – he has succeeded.
The Huron, S.D., native tackled the challenge of the Wissota Late Model class for the first time in 2020 and has quickly become a top runner in the class. Since then, he’s won a Wissota Late Model National Championship (2021) and the Structural Buildings Wissota Late Model Challenge Series title (2022) along with compiling 29 late model feature wins during that time.
“There are always learning curves to anything you do, so for that aspect it does surprise me a bit. But I have just made it such a priority in my life to study the sport and try to perfect my skills in the car, that on the other hand it doesn’t surprise me,” Searing said. “I have always had confidence in my skills behind the wheel but the confidence in my ability to set the car up and keep up to date with what is going on and changing in the chassis world is what I’m trying to work on now.”
The 28-year-old has compiled 212 feature wins in his stock-car racing career. He’s won two national championships; in addition to the late model title in 2021, he won the Wissota Midwest Modified title in 2019.
Searing’s father raced many years ago; when he quit, he took Cole to the races as a child.
“He took me to the races all the time and I clung to it,” Searing said. “From there, I begged him long enough to get me a go-kart.”
Searing won a go-kart national championship in 2008. At the same time, he was helping Ross Dixon out with his super stock. Dixon won the Wissota Super Stock national title the same year Searing won his national go-kart championship.
“I started buying his hand-me-down cars and just went from there,” Searing said.
Searing raced in the street stocks for two years before moving to the Wissota Super Stock class. For a couple of years, he did double-duty in the super stocks and Midwest modifieds.
The road to the Wissota Midwest Modified championship in 2019 was rigorous. He raced the car 64 nights and finished with 24 wins and 57 top five finishes. Ironically, his plan at the beginning of the year was to run for the super stock national title; but as the wins piled up in the Midwest modified, those plans changed.
“We had to race four nights a week,” Searing said. “We had to race it really hard.”
Combined in the two classes, Searing had 47 wins in 2019 including four in Arizona to start the season.
Searing’s first year in a late model came in the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign. He bought a late model midway through the season and ran 19 events after starting out the year in the Midwest modified and super stock classes. His first late model feature win came at Miller.
In 2021, he quickly found his groove.
He had 21 wins on his way to the 2021 Wissota Late Model National Championship; he was also the Rookie of the Year. In 56 events, he finished in the top five an impressive 47 times.
“These MB Customs cars, they drive really good,” Searing said. “I was fortunate enough to get a good one right away. They help you so much, they drive good, and it fits my driving style. It’s worked really well; they’ve got a good support system and a good package they’ve put together.”
The 2022 season saw him race a scaled back schedule but saw him capture the Structural Buildings Wissota Late Model Challenge Series championship. He had seven wins in 35 starts last season, highlighted a big win at Ogilvie in June 2022. He had two challenge series wins and eight top five finishes in 11 starts.
“I like the challenge more than anything and trying to figure out how to be better,” Searing said. “AJ Diemel always makes fun of me, because I could win a race by a straightaway and I’d call him and ask him how I could have made the car better at certain points. It’s almost like I’m never 100 percent happy; I’m always trying to find that extra edge.”
He tentatively plans to be at the 2023 Wissota Late Model Challenge Series Opener on Friday at I-94 EUR Speedway in Fergus Falls. He’s looking at racing some higher-paying shows.
“I want to race more than last year for sure,” Searing said. “I have some big shows on the calendar, we’re going to do the Tri-State (races) around home and hit some challenge series stuff and chase the pay and see where the points shake out after that.”
His family, which includes his parents, wife Ashley and son Owen, and his pit crew are big supporters of his racing.
“It’s cool to see them jacked up when I win,” Searing said. “We do it as a family deal and all have fun.”
Driver Profile Cole Searing Wissota Late Model #10 Hometown: Huron, S.D. Age: 28 Sponsors: Collins Brothers Towing Of St.Cloud, Inc, Minnesota Truck Headquarters, Prostrollo General Motors, Conkey Farms, Martin Construction, Jige Signs & Graphics, Mike Rogers Construction, Glade Cattle Company, All Auto Collision, Dixon Oil Recycling, Inc, Dirt Race Central, Brotherhood Arms, Gladdis Grinding, Winther Ag, Del's Taxidermy, Jensen Livestock In, Chaos Photography, Avail Wealth Management, CMD Race Shocks, Mars Race Cars, Red Arrow Bar, Daly Fab, Central Plains Construction, Farmers Union Insurance, Blaine Anderson Agency, NAPA Central, Jerry Kleinsasser Farms, Speedwerx headers. Swift Springs, Pro Power Racing Engines
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