3/28/2026
Tanner Mullens
Tanner Mullens Crowned King of America at Lucas Oil Speedway
Kansas Driver Banks $15,000 Payday After 2025 Heartbreak
WICHITA, Kan. (March 30, 2026) — One year after victory slipped through his grasp, Tanner Mullens returned to finish the job Saturday night at Lucas Oil Speedway.
Mullens, a decorated United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) competitor, held off Hodges Brothers Racing teammate Reece Solander and Gabe Hodges to capture the $15,000 King of America XV victory aboard his Mel Hambelton Ford / Sandlian Iron and Metal Auto Salvage No. 02 Modified.
“That’s about all I thought about,” Mullens said of last year’s failure to close after leading 40 laps. “Tyler got out there and Reece set the pace. I tried to be as patient as I could. Once I got by Reece, I kind of maintained and then I knew it was about time to get going.”
The 15th annual King of America event began Thursday, where Mullens advanced into the feature with an eighth-to-third run in his heat race. He showed early strength in the opener, leading laps 18–21 before mechanical issues forced the Wichita, Kansas, native to retire on lap 28 while battling for the lead.
In Friday’s $3,000-to-win preliminary, Mullens backed up a fourth-place finish in his heat race with a solid fifth-place effort in the feature.
Starting from the fifth row in Saturday’s championship finale, Mullens surged forward and took command on lap 35 with a pass of Tyler Stevens. From there, he pulled away to secure his first victory of the season and the coveted King of America crown.
The triumph marked redemption for Mullens, who led 45 laps in the 2025 main event before settling for a fifth-place finish.
Mullens currently sits ninth in the latest USMTS point standings.
Complete results from the King of America XV can be found at www.LucasOilSpeedway.com.
United States Modified Touring Series action resumes in two weeks as the tour heads to Mississippi for the inaugural Mississippi Showdown, beginning Friday, April 10 at Hattiesburg Speedway and concluding Saturday at Mitchell’s Motorplex.
Full event details are available at www.USMTS.com.
Tanner Mullens Racing would like to thank all of their marketing partners, which include Mel Hambelton Ford, Sandlian Iron and Metal Auto Salvage, Collins Brothers Towing Of St.Cloud, Inc., Tri-River Logging, Gilley’s Park City Kansas, Strength Roofing & Siding, Big Corner Creative, Doherty Construction, Central Spray Foam and Cement Lifting, FUQUA Trucking, Knoche Farms, Bergman Tax & Accounting, Inc. - Jerry Bergman, Mel Hambelton Racing, Keyser Manufacturing, CPD Racing Shocks, LLC, Integra Shocks, Greg Deatherage, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Victory Vault, Schoenfeld Headers, Dynamic Drivelines, Swift Springs, Kevko Racing, and MyRacePass Marketing Services.
For more information on Tanner Mullens Racing, please visit www.TannerMullens.com.
Fans interested in keeping up with Mullens’ can subscribe to his official mailing list by completing the sign-up form at https://pages/TannerMullensRacing.
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