Story By: JEREMY PETERS / TANNER MULLENS RACING – WICHITA, KS – Entering this weekend’s Summit United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) action, it had been nearly a year since Tanner Mullens had visited victory lane on the tough Modified tour. That changed with an impressive performance on Saturday during the second night of the 11th annual North Iowa Nationals at Mason City Motor Speedway.
Mullens collected a $5,000 payday for his second win of the season and 11th career USMTS triumph aboard his Mel Hambelton Ford / Sandlian Iron & Metal Auto Salvage No. 02 Strength Roofing & Siding / Fuqua Trucking / Mullens Race Car Modified.
“I just tried to slow down and save as much as I could. But as soon as I seen (Chisholm) I just gave it all I had” Mullens said. “We were struggling a little bit down there (turn one). I knew he could roll the bottom a lot better than we could… For the year we’ve had we’ll take it. We always do fairly good here, so we enjoy coming. This is new car—fourth night on it—so I think changes we made have been pretty good. We’ll take anything we can get at this point but (the track officials) did a really good job from earlier today to now. It’s in really good shape.”
On Saturday evening, Mullens and his No. 02 crew were among 23 USMTS teams looking for the $5,000 winner’s share at the 1/3-mile oval in Mason City, Iowa. Mullens led every lap of his heat race, starting him second in the 40-lap feature. He grabbed the lead on the first lap and wired the field, holding off multiple challenges from Jim Chisholm along the way.
Mullens ultimately took the checkered flag just 0.161 seconds ahead of Chisholm, with Jake Timm, Rodney Sanders and Tyler Davis completing the top five. The win was Mullens’ first on the USMTS trail in 2024 and his second feature triumph of the year overall.
The victory came on the third consecutive night of USMTS racing, a stretch that began at Fairmont (Minnesota) Raceway on Thursday. That evening, 25 Modified drivers were at the half-mile oval seeking a $3,000 top prize. Mullens claimed fifth in his heat and steered from 14th to ninth in the 25-lap A-Main.
On Friday, the schedule shifted to Mason City for the first of three scheduled $5,000-to-win North Iowa Nationals programs in the Hawkeye State. Representing one 24 USMTS Modified drivers in the pit area, Mullens grabbed the runner-up spot in his heat and started sixth in the 40-lap main event. He came home fifth, chasing Rodney Sanders, Timm, Chisholm and Terry Phillips under the checkered flag.
The night after Mullens’ win, the slated Sunday finale at Mason City Motor Speedway fell to Mother Nature.
With the Fairmont and Mason City events in the books, Mullens is now sixth in the latest USMTS point standings.
Mullens has already kicked off his race-week with an eighth-place finish in The Davenport Deal opener on Monday at Davenport (IA) Speedway. Following another $2,000-to-win preliminary on Tuesday, the tripleheader event concludes with Wednesday’s finale that boasts a $20,000 top prize.