Tanner Mullens conquers USMTS at Granite City Motor Park
SAUK RAPIDS, Minn.—Tanner Mullens of Wichita, Kan., delivered a flawless drive, leading all 40 laps of the 5th Annual Mod Wars finale at the Granite City Motor Park to claim victory in the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt on Sunday night.
Mullens outdueled a fiercely competitive 21-car field, crossing the finish line less than a second ahead of his closest rival in a heart-pounding showdown that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
Starting from the pole after a strong showing in the Hodges Farms & Dredging Qualifying, the 2020 Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Award winner set a blistering pace from the green flag, navigating lapped traffic and two cautions with unflappable composure.
Chasing Mullens was Joe Chisholm of Osage, Iowa, who charged from fourth to secure a hard-fought second-place finish and nearly capturing his third victory in the last four races while he aims for this year's rookie title.
Local hero Joseph Thomas of Glyndon thrilled the hometown crowd, piloting his machine from third to a solid third-place finish after pacing qualifying and winning Simpson Race Products Heat Race #1.
Zach Benson of Princeton, another Minnesota native, electrified fans with a dynamic run from eighth to fourth, rounding out the top five was five-time USMTS national champ Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas, who clawed his way from 13th to fifth.
The race, which unfolded in just over 18 minutes, with two cautions slowing the action, saw Gary Christian of Broken Bow, Okla., stole the spotlight as the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger, rocketing from 19th to seventh.
The USMTS will be back in action on Thursday, July 31, at the Creek County Speedway in Kellyville, Okla. For more information, visit www.creekcountyspeedway.com.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
5th Annual Mod Wars – Night 3 of 3
Granite City Motor Park, Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Heat race lineups are determined via group qualifying. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.
HODGES FARMS & DREDGING QUALIFYING:
1. (11) 6T Joseph Thomas, Glyndon, Minn., 14.717
2. (2) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla., 14.771
3. (4) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa, 14.806
4. (7) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa, 14.872
5. (6) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., 14.912
6. (12) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn., 14.954
7. (13) 8 Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C., 14.958
8. (15) 17B Zach Benson, Princeton, Minn., 15.028
9. (3) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn., 15.061
10. (20) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, 15.084
11. (9) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa, 15.118
12. (17) 5 Reece Solander, Emporia, Kan., 15.127
13. (1) 32C Curtis Stieh, Kaministiqua, Ont., Can. 15.135
14. (16) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn., 15.206
15. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., 15.305
16. (14) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn., 15.330
17. (8) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn., 15.333
18. (10) 7 Brandon Mehrwerth, Foley, Minn., 15.341
19. (18) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla., 15.571
20. (19) 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D., 15.707
SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. (2) 6T Joseph Thomas, Glyndon, Minn.
2. (3) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
3. (1) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
4. (6) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
5. (5) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
6. (8) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
7. (4) 8 Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.
8. (7) 32C Curtis Stieh, Kaministiqua, Ont., Can.
9. (9) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
10. (10) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
11. (11) 75P James Parker, Brownsdale, Minn.
FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (1) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
2. (4) 17B Zach Benson, Princeton, Minn.
3. (2) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla.
4. (3) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
5. (6) 5 Reece Solander, Emporia, Kan.
6. (7) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
7. (5) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
8. (9) 7 Brandon Mehrwerth, Foley, Minn.
9. (10) 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.
10. (8) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (1) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
2. (4) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
3. (3) 6T Joseph Thomas, Glyndon, Minn.
4. (8) 17B Zach Benson, Princeton, Minn.
5. (13) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
6. (9) 5 Reece Solander, Emporia, Kan.
7. (19) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
8. (11) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
9. (20) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
10. (12) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
11. (10) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
12. (15) 7 Brandon Mehrwerth, Foley, Minn.
13. (17) 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.
14. (16) 32C Curtis Stieh, Kaministiqua, Ont., Can.
15. (18) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
16. (2) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
17. (14) 8 Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.
18. (6) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla.
19. (21) 75P James Parker, Brownsdale, Minn.
20. (7) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
21. (5) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
Lap Leader: Mullens 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Mullens 40.
Margin of Victory: 0.935 seconds.
Time of Race: minutes, seconds (2 cautions).
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Christian (started 19th, finished 7th).
Entries: 21.
Next Race: July 31, Creek County Speedway, Kellyville, Okla.
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.
JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: TBD.
Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Strickler.
American Racer – Bleess.
Beyea Custom Headers – Benson.
Bryke Racing – Hoff.
BSB Manufacturing – Bleess.
Champ Pans – Sanders.
Danny Crane Racing Engines – Solander.
Driven Racing Oil – Mullens.
Dynamic Drivelines – Jim Chisholm.
Fast Shafts – Joe Chisholm.
Featherlite Trailers – Mullens, Joe Chisholm, Thomas.
FK Rod Ends – Christian.
Gorsuch Performance Solutions – Mullens.
Harris Auto Racing – Brown.
Hodges Farms & Dredging – Thomas.
Hooker Harness – Mehrwerth.
Hyperco – Thomas.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Hughes.
Keyser Manufacturing – Sabraski.
KSE Racing Products – Christian.
MD3 – Mullens.
MSD Performance – Benson.
Penske Racing Shocks – Girolamo.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Jim Chisholm.
QA1 – Thomas.
Quarter Master – Hansen.
RacerWebsite – Sanders.
Real Racing Wheels – Hoff.
Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt – rushfront.
Simpson Race Products – Thomas.
Sweet Manufacturing – Jim Chisholm.
Swift Springs – Mullens, Parker, Thomas.
Sybesma Graphics – Mullens.
Total Power – Williamson.
VP Racing – Mullens.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Stieh.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Christian.
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