MASON CITY, Iowa — 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 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.
The finish:
Tanner Mullens, Lucas Schott, Will Krup, Jeremy Nelson, Jim Chisholm, Dallon Murty, Jake O’Neil, Dylan Thornton, Steve Lavasseur, A.J. Hoff, Darron Fuqua, Jason Hughes, Kylie Kath, Austen Becerra, Terry Phillips, Tyler Davis, Keith Foss, Joe Chisholm, Tim Ward, Clayton Wagamon, Cody Simpson, Jon Plowman, Devon Havlik, Kevin Stoa, Triston Dycus, Taton Hansen, John Doelle, Gene Nicholas, Colton Eck, Chris Dawson.Â