WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (April 29)—The Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt has roared through eight heart-pounding events in 2025, showcasing the grit and skill of outlaw dirt modified racing across Texas, Missouri and Iowa.

Past champions and rising stars are locked in a tight points battle. Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas—a five-time series champion (2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2023)—and Jim Chisholm of Osage, the 2024 champion, are tied atop the standings with 701 points each.

Tanner Mullens of Wichita, Kan., holds third with 636 markers; Alex Williamson of Rushford, Minn., has 619; and Joe Chisholm of Osage is fifth with 614. The remaining top 10 are Kyle Strickler of Mooresville, N.C. (597); Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo. (585); Trevor Hughes of Westville, Okla. (563); Kyle Brown of Madrid, Iowa (534); and Gary Christian of Broken Bow, Okla. (496).

The season ignited Friday, February 28, at Heart O' Texas Speedway in Elm Mott, Texas, for the 10th Annual Texas Winter Nationals. Jim Chisholm, fresh off his 2024 title, led all 40 laps for a $5,000 win. Sanders took second, while Mullens climbed from 13th to third. Joe Chisholm edged Strickler for fourth.

On Saturday, March 1, Joe Chisholm led early and won the $5,000 finale, with Mullens second and Phillips third. Sanders and USMTS Grant Junghans Rookie-of-the Year contender Reece Solander of Emporia, Kan., rounded out the top five.

The 10th Annual Texas Spring Nationals on Saturday, March 7, at the Rocket Raceway Park in Petty, Texas, saw Strickler lead 39 laps for his second career USMTS win, worth $5,000. Jim Chisholm charged from 16th to second, earning the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award, just ahead of Sanders who advanced from 14th to third. Tyler Davis of Haysville, Kan., and Hughes finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

The King of America XIV at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., ran March 27-29. On Thursday, Cade Dillard of Robeline, La., inherited the win after apparent winner Dustin Sorensen of Rochester, Minn., was disqualified post-race, giving Dillard the 21st USMTS victory of his career. Phillips, who has a pair of USMTS Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout triumphs at the track, held on to finish second and Keith Foss of Winona, Minn., who started 10th, claimed third.

Mullens finished fourth and Sanders came from 15th on the starting grid to finish fifth and take the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger honors. Sanders is also a two-time winner at the “Diamond of Dirt Tracks” and won the 2014 King of America event when it was at the Humboldt Speedway.

Jim Chisholm led all 40 laps on the second night of King of America XIV, but it wasn't necessarily an easy drive for the 22-year-old as he had to withstand five restarts while leading and was up to the challenge on each. Solander wound up second after threatening Chisholm's lead over the second half of the 40-lapper. Dillard rallied from 10th to third, with 2012 King of America II winner Stormy Scott of Las Cruces, N.M., fourth and Strickler fifth from the 22nd starting spot, which earned him the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award. Another field of 72 Summit USMTS Modifieds were on hand for Friday's show.

In Saturday's finale, Dillard took command when it mattered the most and staked claim to the USMTS King of America XIV crown. Dillard supplanting race-long leader Mullens on lap 16, and then went on to capture the $20,000 top prize. It was the first King of America victory for Dillard, who pulled away down the stretch and held off Jim Chisholm to get the win. Bobby Williams of Hermitage, Mo., moved up from the USRA B-Mod division this year and was third at the checkers, with Sorensen finishing fourth and Mullens settling for fifth after dominating the first 44 laps.

The Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway roared to life on Friday, April 11, for the first night of the 15th Annual Spring Classic, and the USMTS road warriors delivered a 35-lap main event that kept fans on the edge of their seats with multiple lead changes and a dramatic green-white-checkered finish.

Sanders emerged victorious, leading three times for a total of 18 laps, including the final 10. It was his first win at the historic Hamilton County Fairgrounds oval in Webster City, Iowa. Sanders held off a fierce challenge from Brandon Davis of Hayfield, Minn., who finished second after briefly taking the lead on laps 24 and 25. Strickler led laps 8-14 and 16-23 but settled for third at the finish line. Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa, finished fourth, followed by Williamson, who charged from 19th to fifth, earning the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award.

Saturday closed out the Spring Classic with a gripping 40-lap main event. The racing and the racing surface were much different than Friday night's show, but the result was the same with Sanders earning the top step on the Featherlite Trailers Top-3 podium and the 123rd USMTS triumph of his career. He was followed by VanderBeek in second place and Jim Chisholm in third. Williamson stormed from 16th to fourth, earning the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger award for the second night in a row. Joe Chisholm finished fifth.

With eight races in the books, the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt are off until Memorial Day Weekend when the series returns for four straight nights of racing in Iowa and Minnesota which begins a grueling stretch of 13 races in 31 nights and spans seven states.

On Thursday, May 22, the Fayette County Speedway in West Union, Iowa, hosts the 12th Annual War in West Union before traveling two hours west on Highway 18 to the Hancock County Speedway in Britt, Iowa, on Friday where the fastest dirt modified to ever roam the Hawkeye State plan to snap an 11-year hiatus.

The 21st Annual Southern Minnesota Spring Challenge happens at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., on Saturday, May 24, and the weekend wraps up on Sunday with the 12th Annual North Iowa Nationals featuring the Jerry Hejna Memorial at the Pritchard Family Auto Stores Mason City Motor Speedway in Mason City, Iowa.

If for some crazy reason you can't attend any of these shows, www.racindirt.tv will have every lap of every USMTS event live online.

The USMTS is the ultimate proving ground where only the fiercest, most skilled dirt slingers in North America dare to tread. This is where legends are forged, battles are won and the roar of engines drowns out the weak.

Since 1999, this is where the elite meet, and every driver from the top guns to the local heroes get a shot at glory at some of America's most brutal dirt tracks. This is where the Best of the Best in dirt modified racing come to show their mettle.

When it comes to outlaw dirt modified racing, the USMTS has no equal. USMTS is the Real Deal. Don't be afraid of the fast.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS:  American Racer Racing Tires, Beyea Headers, Fast Shafts, Featherlite Trailers, FK Rod Ends, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nitroquest Media, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt, Summit Racing Equipment, VP Racing - Heartland, Wieland.

USMTS PRESENTING SPONSORS: Boomtest Well Service, Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Callies Performance Products, Collins Brothers Towing, Hochatown Saloon, Mel Hambelton Ford, Miller Welders, PBM Performance Products, STAKT Products, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Bear Graphix, Bryke Racing, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Danny Crane Racing Engines, Driven Racing Oil, Dynamic Drivelines, Edelbrock, Gorsuch Performance Solutions, Harris Auto Racing, Hooker Harness, Hyperco, Integra Racing Shocks and Springs, JE Pistons, JRi Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, MD3, Mel Hambelton Racing, MSD Performance, Penske Racing Shocks, QA1, Quarter Master, RaceQuip, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Total Power, Victory Fuel, Victory Vault, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wilwood Racing.