What won the race: Slipping by Josh Skorczewski on the 28th lap as they closed in on lapped traffic, fifth-starting Cole Searing of Huron, S.D., led the final three laps of Friday's 30-lap Repairable Vehicles.com Tri-State Late Model Series feature at Brown County Speedway. Searing beat Skorczewski by 0.641 of a second for the $3,000 payday, his ninth career Tri-State Series victory and first of the season.

Quotable: “(Josh Skorczewski) has been giving me the good (restart) lanes every once in a while here. He’s got a dang good car, everybody’s got good cars here, it’s so hard to win with these guys,” Searing said. “I felt really good with 13 (laps) to go, or whatever, when we had that yellow. I felt like I was finally coming in a little bit once they stopped hugging the infield. I was expecting a little better restart, but (Cody Thompson) just took off so slow, I couldn’t get going. Luckily we got into some traffic and usually I’m on the other end of that deal.”

Key notes: Searing, the 2023 Tri-State Series champ, secured his third overall feature win of the season, adding to local WISSOTA Late Model victories at his home track of Dakota State Fair Speedway. ... It's his first Tri-State win since last Aug. 23 at Worthington (Minn.) Speedway. ... Polesitter Josh Skorczewski took advantage of a lap-18 restart and cleared early leader Cody Thompson on the ensuing lap, then controlled the next nine circuits (19-27) before Searing slipped by as they raced towards lapped traffic. ... Searing used a similar move on the bottom side of turn two as Skorczewski used to pass Thompson. ... Thompson, who began racing Late Models at the end of 2025 and continues to seek his first divisional win, led the opening 18 laps before fading to fourth at the checkers. ... Hometown racer Mike Stearns powered around Thompson for third with five laps left. ... Cody Overton, making a rare Midwestern start, improved seven positions and finished eighth aboard a Scott Ward-owned No. 37 entry. ... Corey Seckerson ran as high as fourth in the early going before backsliding to finish 11th. ... The 30-lap feature was slowed by one caution when 13th-running Kale Kosiski hopped the turn-two cushion on lap 18 and left the racing surface; he did not continue. ... Local drivers Kent Arment retired from eighth just before the lap-18 caution and Chad Becker pulled off while running 13th with five laps to go. ... The race lasted 14 minutes with 18 starters completing the distance and 21 running at the finish.

On the move: Mike Stearns of Aberdeen, S.D., started 12th and finished third.

Winner's sponsors: Searing’s Longhorn Chassis is sponsored by Collins Brothers Towing, Minnesota Truck Headquarters, Structural Buildings, EMR Metal Recycling, Binger Cattle and Grain, Central Plains Construction, Farmers Union Insurance, NAPA Central, All Auto Collision, 605 Thermals, Jerry Kleinsasser Farms, Superior Shine Auto Spa, Radiant Roofing & Siding, G&G Seamless, Dale’s A-1 Transmission, Huron Used Cars, Allied Climate Professionals, Gladdis Transport, JD Concrete, VG Performance, Speedwerx Headers, Dirt Race Central and Jig E Signs.

Points chase: Before Brown County: 1. Trevor Anderson (785); 2. Cory Dumpert (755); 3. Cody Thompson (706); 4. Shane DeMey (703); 5. Curt Kranz (649).

Current weather: Clear, 73°F

Car count: 38

Polesitter: Josh Skorczewski

Heat race winners: Corey Seckerson, Cole Searing, Cory Dumpert, Shane DeMey, Chad Olsen

Consolation race winners: Lane Brenden, Kale Kosiski

Provisional starters: Justin Zeitner, John Hoing, Russell Beadle

Next series race: June 6, Dakota State Fair Speedway (Huron, SD) $4,000