What won the race: After giving way to Cole Searing as they raced through lapped traffic on the 13th lap, polesitter Dave Mass of East Bethel, Minn., slipped back by Searing to take the lead for good on lap 36, pacing the final five circuits of Tuesday's Speedway Motors WISSOTA 100 opening night. Mass led twice for 17 laps (1-12, 36-40) and beat Searing by 0.623 of a second for the $3,000 payday, his second Structural Buildings WISSOTA Challenge Series victory of the season and fourth of his career.

Quotable: "I was excited just watching Cole (Searing) and Cody (Overton) running there. I think that kinda helped me out cause then Cole didn’t know where to go and I stayed solid to the bottom, it was where I wanted to be," Mass said. "I was happy running third and I’m happy to be in first, I’m just happy to be up here."

Key notes: Mass, the reigning Challenge Series champ, backslid as low as third and held that spot from laps 13-31 until coming alive in the late going. Sticking primarily to I-94's hub, Mass first took second back from Cody Overton on lap 32 then reclaimed the lead from Cole Searing on lap 36 before pulling away over the final five laps. ... Mass, who captured his sixth I-94 victory of the season, added to an Aug. 16 Challenge Series triumph at Granite City Motor Park in Sauk Rapids, Minn. ... It was his ninth overall feature win of the season. ... The second-starting Searing led twice for 22 laps (13-24, 26-35) before settling for second. ... Fourth-starting Cody Overton, driving a No. 37 Scott Ward-owned entry, blasted I-94's cushion and briefly led the 25th lap before fading back to third. ... There were four official lead changes between Mass, Searing and Overton, though several unofficial exchanges throughout the 40-lap feature. ... Jordan Tollakson prevailed to finish fifth after a back-and-forth battle with Sammy Mars in the late going. ... Ryan Mikkelson climbed seven spots to round out the top-10 finishers. ... Points leader Kevin Burdick spun to a stop down the backstretch on lap 16 for the lone caution. Burdick pitted and returned to the track but could only rally to finish 20th; he'll hold a slim advantage entering Wednesday's Challenge Series season finale. ... Tuesday's action unofficially kicked off the 40th annual Speedway Motors WISSOTA 100 as several drivers practiced for the four-night event. The top-eight finishers of Wednesday's Challenge Series finale will lock themselves into Saturday's 50-lap feature. ... The prelim lasted just shy of 18 minutes with 22 starters completing 40 laps and all 25 running at the finish. .. Aaron Johnson and Dexton Koch made contact as they battled for ninth in the fourth heat race, sending Johnson climbing the frontstretch wall and tumbling before landing on his roof; Johnson was OK.

On the move: Sammy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., started 13th and finished sixth; Johnny Broking of Grand Rapids, Minn., started 14th and finished seventh.

Winner's sponsors: Mass drives an MB Customs Race Car sponsored by Shaw Trucking, Pallet Resource Corp Wooden Pallet Recycling, Blaine Brothers, North American Trailer, Bud’s Auto Body, House Contracting Preservation, Hydraulic Specialty Inc., Dehn Oil Company, Speedwerx Performance Exhaust and Structural Buildings.

Points chase: After I-94 Tuesday: 1. Kevin Burdick (761); 2. Dave Mass (742); 3. Shane Sabraski (741); 4. Johnny Broking (681); 5. Jeff Provinzino (663).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 59°F

Car count: 40

Fast qualifier: Sammy Mars

Time: 16.447 seconds

Polesitter: Dave Mass

Heat race winners: Dave Mass, Cody Overton, Jordan Tollakson, Cory Crapser

Consolation race winners: Ryan Mikkelson, Zach Johnson

Provisional starters: Dexton Koch, Taylor Madrinich, Chris Mensen

Next series race: September 16, I-94 EMR Speedway (Fergus Falls, MN) $3,000