Dominant Mullens wins Thursday's 25th Anniversary USMTS Silver Jubilee prelim

August 17, 2023 | by Jeff Nun

Nobody knew who would win the feature until Jake Timm crossed underneath flagstand when the Summit USMTS National Championship opened the 25th Anniversary USMTS Silver Jubilee with a nail-biting finale on Wednesday.

Thursday’s 25-lap nightcap was never in doubt as Tanner Mullens took off at the waving of the green flag and then dominated the caution-free event until the checkered flags flew a little over seven minutes later.

His margin of victory was 3.915 seconds.

The 30-year-old from Wichita, Kan., was the fastest qualifier, raced from sixth on the grid to second place in his heat race and then disappeared from the competition in the preliminary feature race to earn the middle spot on the front row of Saturday’s 78-lap, $25,000-to-win, 78-laps, 33-car championship main event at the Mason City Motor Speedway.

Lucas Schott chased Mullens throughout the contest but settled for runner-up honors while Will Krup, ninth-starting Jeremy Nelson and Jim Chisholm completed the top five.

Finishing sixth through tenth were Dallon Murty in his first USMTS start, Jake O'Neil, Dylan Thornton, Steve Lavasseur and A.J. Hoff.

The FK Rod Ends and KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Awards went to Darron Fuqua, who started 18th and finished 11th.

The big night for Mullens also earned him contingency awards from BigDeal Car Care, MD3, Super Clean, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics and VP Racing.

Points were accumulated throughout the night for each driver’s performance in time trials, heat races and the feature races.

The top six in points locked themselves into the first six spots of the middle row for the start of Saturday night’s contest which starts three-wide.

Friday features Mulligan Night: Twenty-five years in the making, the 25th Anniversary USMTS Silver Jubilee continues Friday and Saturday featuring the best of the best in dirt modified racing battling for the largest pool of prize money in series history.

Racers chose Wednesday or Thursday to qualify, with the top six finishers each night locked into Saturday's finale filling the inside and middle rows, respectively.

Drivers who purchased a “mulligan” when registering for the event can try again Friday, with the top six from that night’s feature filling the outside lane of Saturday's main event.

With the purchase of their entry fee, each competitor get one free ticket into the drawing for some incredible prizes that will be given away during the week. If a racer purchase a mulligan, he or she gets another ticket into the same drawing.

Tickets will also be sold for more chances to win great gifts. On the top of that list will be a brand new USMTS 415 spec motor built by Stoen Race Engines valued at $25,000.

Extra tickets for the drawing will be on sale at $20 per ticket or six for $100. Dozens of supporters have stepped up to make this show explode, and many more are expected to jump on board before and during the event.

Competitors will earn points for each event they are in from time trials to heats, B-mains and A-mains, and the top six each night will be locked in for Saturday's $25,000-to-win main event that will pay no less than a record $2,500 to start.

The top 12 from Saturday’s “B” Main will transfer into the “A” Main. The first driver on the outside looking in (13th in the “B” Main) still walks away with $2,000 and every driver that takes the green flag in the “B” Main gets at least $1,200.

The “C” Main pays a minimum of $1,000 to start, and the “D” Main is at least $900 to start.

Officials will also auction off two spots with an opening bid of $2,500 for any person what wishes to get their choice of driver into the finale. Any extra money above $2,500 per driver will be divided equally among drivers finishing third through 33rd.

One final spot will be added by a ticket raffle open to anybody. Tickets will be $10 each, 6 for $50 or 15 for $100. The winner can put in the driver they want into the 33rd starting spot.

Lap sponsorships are $1,000 per lap. From this, more than $40,000 goes to the drivers and $37,500 to sponsors and fans. Fifteen lap sponsors will also be entered for a chance to win up to $25,000.

All lap sponsors are in a draw for 15 winners among the 78 laps of sponsors.

The feature winners on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will each draw five (5) random numbers from 1 through 78, and the sponsor(s) of those laps will be in Saturday’s drawing (15 lap sponsors total).

For fans, two (2) adults each on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday—plus two from Saturday’s 50/50 drawing—will be in the drawing (15 lap sponsors + 10 fans = 25 eligible winners).

During driver introductions on Saturday, five (5) random drivers will draw five (5) random names of fans with each fan getting $2,500.

The driver that wins Saturday’s A-Main will draw a random name in the final drawing and that person will win $25,000.

Among the festivities at the 25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee are a delicous meal on Saturday afternoon and inducting some new names into the USMTS Hall of Fame.

USRA Hobby Stocks join the program Friday and Saturday, with Outlaw Mini-Mods rounding out Friday’s lineup.

The pit gates opens at 4 p.m., grandstands open at 5 each day. Following the drivers meeting at 6:15, hot laps and qualifying begins at 6:30 with racing to follow around 7:10. All times are Central Standard Time.

For full event information or to buy advance tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime blockbuster, check out https://usmts.com/schedule/event.asp?RaceID=64287

The Mason City Motor Speedway is a 1/3-mile clay oval located 5.1 miles east of I-35 at exit 194 on SR 122 (at the North Iowa Fairgrounds). For more information, call (515) 832-6000 or check out MasonCityMotorSpeedway.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

For its Silver Anniversary season, the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt currently features racing at some of America's premier dirt track racing venues. The winners of those events are set to earn more than $300,000 with nearly $2 million in purses and prize money earmarked for the 2023 campaign.

Watch every USMTS event online live and on-demand from anywhere on any device with RacinDirt.

Visit usmts.com to learn more and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Click here to get USMTS news delivered to your inbox.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
25th Anniversary USMTS Silver Jubilee – Night 2 of 4
Mason City Motor Speedway, Mason City, Iowa
Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Heat race lineups are determined via time trials. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.

TIME TRIALS:
1. 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., 15.095 seconds.
2. 38T Dylan Thornton, Orcutt, Calif., 15.099.
3. 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz., 15.106.
4. 21X Dallon Murty, Chelsea, Iowa, 15.118.
5. 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., 15.166.
6. 14W Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn., 15.258.
7. 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn., 15.281.
8. K9 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill., 15.316.
9. 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., 15.317.
10. 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa, 15.320.
11. 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn., 15.329.
12. 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan., 15.381.
13. 22A Austen Becerra, Carthage, Ill., 15.411.
14. 83 Kylie Kath, Claremont, Minn., 15.429.
15. 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan., 15.457.
16. 5D Devon Havlik, Waterloo, Iowa, 15.516.
17. 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., 15.553.
18. 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn., 15.559.
19. 17 Jon Plowman, Woodbine, Iowa, 15.564.
20. 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis., 15.578.
21. 13J Triston Dycus, Maypearl, Texas, 15.641.
22. 4TW Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 15.650.
23. 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., 15.651.
24. 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn., 15.765.
25. D21 Daniel Drury, Iowa Falls, Iowa, 15.767.
26. 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis., 15.778.
27. 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D., 15.790.
28. 24 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa, 15.806.
29. 21D David Brown, Kellogg, Iowa, 15.810.
30. 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn., 15.812.
31. 747 Colton Eck, Goddard, Kan., 15.908.
32. 7X Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas, 15.919.
33. 98M Mitchel Madery, Kasson, Minn., 15.944.
34. 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark., 15.978.
35. 22 Alan Bohlman, Isanti, Minn., 16.025.
36. 60X Tyler Wirtjes, Mason City, Iowa, 16.182.
37. 81 Cody Simpson, Quinlan, Texas, 16.223.
38. 25 Adam Bohlman, Princeton, Minn., 16.226.
39. 4M Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas, 16.258.

SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. (2) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (6) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
3. (1) 13J Triston Dycus, Maypearl, Texas.
4. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
6. (3) 22A Austen Becerra, Carthage, Ill.
7. (7) D21 Daniel Drury, Iowa Falls, Iowa.
8. (10) 81 Cody Simpson, Quinlan, Texas.
9. (8) 21D David Brown, Kellogg, Iowa.
10. (9) 98M Mitchel Madery, Kasson, Minn.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (4) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa.
2. (2) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
3. (6) 38T Dylan Thornton, Orcutt, Calif.
4. (1) 4TW Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa.
5. (3) 83 Kylie Kath, Claremont, Minn.
6. (5) 14W Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn.
7. (7) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.
8. (8) 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn.
9. (9) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
10. (10) 25 Adam Bohlman, Princeton, Minn.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (2) 17 Jon Plowman, Woodbine, Iowa.
2. (6) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
3. (3) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
4. (5) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
5. (1) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
6. (4) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
7. (7) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
8. (10) 4M Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
9. (8) 747 Colton Eck, Goddard, Kan.
10. (9) 22 Alan Bohlman, Isanti, Minn.

WIELAND HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (6) 21X Dallon Murty, Chelsea, Iowa.
2. (5) K9 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
3. (2) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
4. (1) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
5. (4) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
6. (3) 5D Devon Havlik, Waterloo, Iowa.
7. (7) 24 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa.
8. (8) 7X Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas.
9. (9) 60X Tyler Wirtjes, Mason City, Iowa.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 7 advance):
1. (2) 83 Kylie Kath, Claremont, Minn.
2. (4) 22A Austen Becerra, Carthage, Ill.
3. (1) 4TW Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa.
4. (8) 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn.
5. (10) 747 Colton Eck, Goddard, Kan.
6. (7) 81 Cody Simpson, Quinlan, Texas.
7. (9) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
8. (11) 98M Mitchel Madery, Kasson, Minn.
9. (12) 60X Tyler Wirtjes, Mason City, Iowa.
10. (6) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
11. (3) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
DQ – (5) D21 Daniel Drury, Iowa Falls, Iowa.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 7 advance):
1. (2) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
2. (6) 24 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa.
3. (3) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
4. (1) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
5. (4) 5D Devon Havlik, Waterloo, Iowa.
6. (5) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.
7. (8) 7X Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas.
8. (9) 21D David Brown, Kellogg, Iowa.
9. (10) 25 Adam Bohlman, Princeton, Minn.
10. (11) 22 Alan Bohlman, Isanti, Minn.
DQ – (7) 4M Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (25 laps):
1. (1) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
2. (5) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (8) K9 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
4. (9) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
5. (7) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa.
6. (2) 21X Dallon Murty, Chelsea, Iowa.
7. (6) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
8. (4) 38T Dylan Thornton, Orcutt, Calif.
9. (11) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
10. (13) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
11. (18) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
12. (14) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
13. (17) 83 Kylie Kath, Claremont, Minn.
14. (19) 22A Austen Becerra, Carthage, Ill.
15. (15) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
16. (10) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
17. (22) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
18. (20) 24 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa.
19. (21) 4TW Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa.
20. (16) 14W Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn.
21. (27) 81 Cody Simpson, Quinlan, Texas.
22. (3) 17 Jon Plowman, Woodbine, Iowa.
23. (26) 5D Devon Havlik, Waterloo, Iowa.
24. (23) 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn.
25. (12) 13J Triston Dycus, Maypearl, Texas.
26. (24) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
27. (28) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.
28. (29) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
29. (25) 747 Colton Eck, Goddard, Kan.
DNS – 7X Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas.

Lap Leader: Mullens 1-25.
Total Laps Led: Mullens 25.
Margin of Victory: 3.915 seconds.
Time of Race: 7 minutes, 3.656 seconds (no cautions).
Provisional Starters: none.
Emergency Provisionals: none.
FK Rod Ends/KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Fuqua (started 18th, finished 11th).
Entries: 39.
Next Race: Friday, Aug. 18, Mason City Motor Speedway.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: TBD.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: TBD.
FK Rod Ends USMTS Hard Charger Points: TBD.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: TBD.
Callies/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: TBD.

Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – firstcaution.
American Racer – TBD.
Beyea Custom Headers – Nelson.
BigDeal Car Care – Mullens, Murty.
Bryke Racing – Phillips.
BSB Manufacturing – Simpson.
Carquest – TBD.
Champ Pans – Jim Chisholm.
Collins Brothers Towing – toughbrake.
Deatherage Opticians – Simpson.
Edelbrock – Plowman.
Fast Shafts – Jim Chisholm.
FK Rod Ends – Fuqua.
Hooker Harness – Hughes.
Hyperco – Siebert.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Joe Chisholm.
Keyser Manufacturing – Hoff.
KSE Racing Products – Fuqua.
MD3 – Mullens.
Mel Hambelton Racing – Schott.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – TBD.
Midwest Wrap Co. – Plowman.
MSD Performance – Krup.
Penske Racing Shocks – Kath.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Phillips.
Performance Bodies – TBD.
QA1 – Jim Chisholm.
Quarter Master – Thornton.
RacerWebsite.com – Becerra.
Salty’s BBQ & Catering – Murty.
Simpson Race Products – Schott.
Summit Racing Equipment – D. Brown, Dycus, Schott, Simpson, Wirtjes.
Super Clean – Mullens.
Swift Springs – Mullens, Murty.
Sybesma Graphics – Mullens.
VP Racing – Mullens.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Wirtjes.
Willy's Carb & Dyno Shop – Lavasseur.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – O’Neil.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Beyea Headers, Callies Performance Products, Chevrolet Performance, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nitroquest Media, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt, Summit Racing Equipment, Super Clean, VP Racing, Wieland.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: ARMI Contractors, Boomtest Well Service, Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Collins Brothers Towing, D&T Marriott Enterprise, LLC, DAY Motorsports, Duvall Electric, Gunshepherd.com, Hacienda Mechanical, Kenny's Tile, Mel Hambelton Racing, Midwest Wrap Co., Miller Welders, PBM Performance Products, Rancho Milagro Racing, S&S Fishing & Rental, Salty's BBQ & Catering, Shocker Hitch, Shop Quik Stores, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, BigDeal Car Care, Bryke Racing, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Deatherage Opticians, Edelbrock, Hooker Harness, Hyperco, Integra Racing Shocks and Springs, JE Pistons, K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports, Keyser Manufacturing, MD3, MSD Performance, Penske Racing Shocks, Performance Bodies & Parts, QA1, Quarter Master, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Willy’s Carb & Dyno Shop, Wilwood Racing.

USMTS RACETRACKS: 81 Speedway, Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Arrowhead Speedway, Cedar Lake Speedway, Deer Creek Speedway, Fayette County Speedway, Hamilton County Speedway, Humboldt Speedway, I-70 Speedway, Lakeside Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, Lucas Oil Speedway, Mason City Motor Speedway, Ogilvie Raceway, Rocket Raceway Park.