8/24/2025
Rodney Sanders
Trio of top-5 results for Sanders in USMTS Missouri swing
"The Rocket” Rodney Sanders turned in strong finishes across three nights of Summit USMTS competition in Missouri from Thursday through Saturday, posting no result worse than fourth.
To begin the Show-Me State swing, Sanders drove his ARMI Contractors No. 20 Modified in a 21-car USMTS field at Butler's 1/3-mile Electric City Speedway on Thursday. He took third in his heat race during the inaugural Missouri Summer Classic and started the 35-lap, $3,000-to-win A-Main from the pole. He led 26 of the first 28 circuits, but relinquished the lead to Tanner Mullens with seven laps remaining. Sanders finished as runner-up, 2.673 seconds behind Mullens. Trevor Hughes, Gary Christian and Tyler Davis completed the top five.
On Friday, the USMTS schedule moved on to Callaway Raceway in Fulton. Twenty-four Modifieds were at the quarter-mile oval, where a $5,000 winner’s share was up for grabs. Sanders won his heat from the pole and drove from sixth to fourth in the 40-lap feature. He chased Mullens, Jim Chisholm and Kyle Strickler across the start-finish line, while Hughes took fifth.
Saturday saw 21 USMTS Modifieds entered at Memphis, Missouri’s Scotland County Speedway in the 10th annual Mid-America Nationals. Sanders was runner-up in his heat race at the 3/8-mile oval and rolled off sixth to begin the 40-lap, $5,000-to-win main event. He climbed three spots and finished third, rounding out the podium behind Zack VanderBeek and Jim Chisholm. Reece Solander and Christian finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Thanks to his solid weekend in Missouri, Sanders remains in control of the top spot in the Summit USMTS National Championship standings.
On Sunday, Sanders completed four straight nights of racing with a start in the USRA Northern Lights Modified Series at Mason City (Iowa) Motor Speedway. He finished third in his heat at the 1/3-mile speed plant, putting him sixth on the grid to start the 30-lap, $2,000-to-win A-Main boasting 19 cars. However, he retired early and recorded an 18th-place result.
Sanders is eighth in the Northern Lights Modified Series standings.
Full weekend results are at www.usmts.com and www.northernlightsmodifiedseries.com.
Article Credit: Tyler Rinken image