Searing sidelined by appendectomy
Two-time and reigning Structural Buildings WISSOTA Challenge Series champ Cole Searing of Huron, S.D., will miss the remainder of the tour’s four-race weekend after rupturing his appendix and undergoing an emergency appendectomy this morning, the team and series announced.
The 30-year-old Searing, who in victory lane after Thursday’s triumph at KRA Speedway in Willmar, Minn., complained of feeling ill, finished eighth in Friday’s event at Fiesta City Speedway in Montevideo, Minn., won by Shane Sabraski, who took the series points lead from Searing. After Friday's race, Searing headed to a Montevideo hospital where he was diagnosed with appendicitis. He’d been feeling ill throughout the day Friday, according to a statement by the team.
"Cole was extremely bummed when he learned at 1 a.m. that surgery was required at 8 a.m.,” the team said in a statement, thanking everyone for well wishes and kind words. “He is king of famous words “it’ll be what it’ll be” and he literally lives by this on the daily — and these are just the cards we were dealt.”
The series on Saturday afternoon announced series regulars voted unanimously to award Searing hardship points for Saturday’s event at Madison (Minn.) Speedway and Sunday at Casino Speedway in Watertown, S.D.
Searing will receive showup points for both events, along with last-place heat race finishing points and last-place feature finishing points for the two nights. Those points will be added to his series point total after the weekend is concluded. He will remain eligible for ServPro Star provisional starting spots as well as the tour’s contingency awards when he rejoins the series July 4 at Gondik Law Speedway in Superior, Wis.
Searing, who won two of the first five series events, was heading back to his Huron home Saturday afternoon.
Editor's note: Updates with series announcement regarding hardship points and other details.
