For Kallee Mills, the Throwdown in T-Town has always been more than just another race – it’s home. The Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) standout grew up coming to Osage Casino & Hotel Tulsa Raceway Park, tossing candy to fans as a kid and dreaming about one day standing in the winner’s circle. This weekend, that dream came true in spectacular fashion as Mills captured her first career Pro Mod victory at the MWDRS season finale.
“It feels great,” Mills said moments after hoisting her first Pro Mod trophy. “I raced Throwdown when I was a kid in Junior Dragsters. This was the big race of the year. Me and my friends would all get the candy bags and go throw candy out to the fans. To come back here and win – at my home track – it’s just unbelievable.”
A Battle-Tested Win
The path to victory was anything but easy. Mills’ “Scarlet” Camaro suffered major damage early in the weekend when a spark plug tried to exit through the front end, forcing her crew to strip the car engine down to a bare block.
“We tore up a bunch of stuff,” she said. “The guys literally had the car torn apart all the way down to the motor – all the way down to the crankshaft. And we got it put back together, and she ran like she had never been hurt before.”
The repairs paid off. Mills drove flawlessly through eliminations, defeating Tommy Cunningham in the semifinals before lining up against longtime standout Aaron Wells in the finals – a surreal full-circle moment for the former Junior Dragster racer.
“I was that kid watching Aaron Wells win year after year,” Mills said. “He’s always been bad in Pro Mod. And now I just beat him in the finals. You can’t complain about that.”
Home Crowd, Heartfelt Win
Racing in front of family, friends, and fans who’ve followed her journey made the victory even sweeter.
“The fans here have watched me grow up. They watched my dad race here in Tulsa,” Mills shared. “Last night people stayed until 9:30 just waiting on the rain to stop so we could race. That means everything. You couldn’t ask for a better weekend or a better season closer.”
Mills was quick to thank her family, crew, and partners for making the milestone possible:
“My parents for all the support, Leigh White for tuning this hot rod, Paul and Jeannie Hayden – the car owners – we missed them this weekend. Quick Performance, Red Line Oil, Don Baskin Truck Sales, Stroud Safety, Renegade Race Fuels, and my crew – Mikey, Taylor, Jordan, and my boyfriend, who hates getting his hands dirty but had to this weekend,” she laughed. “Hard work pays off.”
Looking Ahead
With the MWDRS season now complete, Mills is already focused on keeping the momentum rolling into 2026.
“It’s the perfect way to end the year,” she said. “The Midwest Drag Racing Series is such a great place to race – great people, great competition, and close to home. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
This story was originally published on October 20, 2025. 
