Photo: Todd Boyd

Tanner Mullens redrew the number one pill again and fired from the pole Friday night at Monett Motor Speedway in Monett, Missouri. He began the night as the fast qualifier in Group A and then won his heat race. The race however, was feverishly contested.  

Mullens set a torrid pace, but Gary Christian was there most of the time, just waiting for a bobble. A late Midwest Sheet Metal Caution set up a green, white, checkered finish. Christian went for broke entering three coming to the VP Checkers, he and Mullens each slid up the track. Mullens had just enough momentum to get the job done.

“After that lest yellow I don't know if I boiled the brake fluid or something, they were going to the floor,” said Mullens in Victory Lane. “I knew he (Christian) would be there. I just couldn't get in there like I needed to be. We've been getting really good draws but we put ourselves in position with qualifying and winning heat races, and just having pretty good luck.”

Mullens has become good friends with the Phillips family over the years and knows the significance of the event.

“This is a pretty special race for us,” Mullens added. “Even to get the prelim win is really cool to us. We look forward to tomorrow, and hopefully for another good solid night.”

Behind the lead duo Terry Phillips, Rodney Sanders and Mark Smith were all jostling for positions back and forth. Phillips and Sanders ended up third and fourth. Smith slipped backwards late to 11th.

Gary Christian cut a fast lap in Deatherage Opticians Time Trials with a best effort of 16.832, topping Tanner Mullens by just 2 thousandths of a second. Tyler Wolff found the top line and dominated the Real Racing Wheels B Feature from eleventh.

Bret Givens Construction was the preliminary night sponsor. Series officials thank him for the support.

Tomorrow night concludes the Keyser Manufacturing Larry Phillips Memorial Presented by Schoenfeld Headers and Wehrs Machine & Racing Products. $7575 is earmarked for the winner, with an additional $7575 in lap leader money.

In B-Mod action, Ryan Gillmore won the opener for the Mean Gene Summer Sizzle, ran in honor of the late Gene Morton. They will race for $2,363 tomorrow, with additional lap leader money as well.

Wehrs Machine & Racing Products A Feature (30 Laps): 1. Tanner Mullens 2. Gary Christian 3. Terry Phillips 4. Rodney Sanders 5. Cole Anderson 6. Henry Chambers 7. Darron Fuqua 8. Jason Hughes 9. Paden Phillips 10. Dustin Hodges 11. Mark Smith 12. Shadren Turner 13. Trevor Hughes 14. Brandon Givens 15. Tyler Wolff 16. Matthew Day 17. Tad Davis 18. Wyatt Gaggero 19. Jason Pursley 20. Bobby Williams 21. Troy Gemmill 22. Dean Wille 23. Dakota Dale 24. Treyton Gann 25. Keith Hammett 26. Drake Findley 27. Mickey Burrell 28. Chase Sigg

Real Racing Wheels B Feature (15 Laps): 1. Tyler Wolff 2. Drake Findley 3. Bobby Williams 4. Brandon Givens 5. Dean Wille 6. Treyton Gann 7. Troy Gudmonson 8. Jason Pursley 9. Colton Eck 10. Dayton Pursley 11. Jarret Dotson 12. Weston Holman 13. Craig Yeoman 14. Dakota Dale 15. Charlie Laizure 16. Chevy Coleman

S&S Fishing and Rental Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. Tanner Mullens 2. Dustin Hodges 3. Keith Hammett 4. Jason Hughes 5. Paden Phillips 6. Bobby Williams 7. Dean Wille 8. Dakota Dale 9. Jason Pursley

Rick Beebe Heating & Air Conditioning Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Rodney Sanders 2. Terry Phillips 3. Henry Chambers 4. Darron Fuqua 5. Troy Gemmill 6. Drake Findley 7. Brandon Givens 8. Troy Gudmonson 9. Colton Eck

Kevko Racing Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. Gary Christian 2. Shadren Turner 3. Tad Davis 4. Matthew Day 5. Mickey Burrell 6. Treyton Gann 7. Charlie Laizure 8. Tyler Wolff 9. Jarret Dotson

Bryke Racing Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. Mark Smith 2. Cole Anderson 3. Trevor Hughes 4. Wyatt Gaggero 5. Chase Sigg 6. Weston Holman 7. Dayton Pursley 8. Chevy Coleman 9. Craig Yeoman

The USRA Heartland Modified Tour Presented by Real Racing Wheels would like to recognize and thank their 2025 season long partners.

Gold Partners - Central Spray Foam & Cement Lifting, Day Motor Sports, Deatherage Opticians, Dylan Scott Entertainment, Hochatown Saloon, Kevko Racing, Midwest Sheet Metal, RacinDirt.com, Real Racing Wheels, Rick Beebe Heating and Air Conditioning, S&S Fishing and Rental, VP Racing Fuels Heartland, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products

Silver Partners - American Racer Tires, Bryke Racing, Buck Monson Photos, Duvall Electric, Fast Shafts, Integra Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, Outlaw Kids Racing Tours, Photos By Boyd, Scotty Dogg’s Hideout, Swift Springs, Victory Vault

Bronze Partners - Freight Logistics Inc., Mars Race Cars, Milburn Acreages by Tillison Enterprises, Service Plumbing of Wichita, Transmissions Unlimited, Yeoman Race Engines, Zac's Sales and Service