While fans of drag racer Kallee Mills are used to seeing her strap into her race car, there’s another key member of the Mills Racing team who never takes a pass down the track but plays just as crucial a role – Kallee’s mom, Tara Mills. Whether she’s loading up the RV, cooking for the crew, or helping to manage the behind-the-scenes logistics of the team, Tara is the steady hand and heart behind the family’s racing operation.
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared as a side bar in Kallee Mills’ cover story in DI #195, the Women of Power Issue, in July/August of 2025.
“Ever since I was a kid, we’ve done this as a family,” Kallee says. “When we were in Jr. Dragsters, she’d push the cars up. She’d cook, she’d clean. She’s out in the shop with us doing whatever she can to help us out.”
Tara has been a constant presence at the racetrack and in the pits, offering support in countless ways. From keeping the team fed to managing travel details, she wears many hats.
“She never complains. She’s always helped us,” says Kallee, who feels it’s important to shine a light on the mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, and women who play a supportive role in the sport. “Honestly, I think she might have the worst job of it all. We get to work on race cars and do all that. She has to cook and clean up after all of us.”
Racers often talk about having a support system, but for Kallee, that support is also a source of motivation. Tara isn’t just keeping things running. She’s pushing the team to be better and holding them to a high standard.
“My mom is the most competitive one out of us all,” Kallee says with a laugh. “If there’s something going on with the car that’s not right or she thinks we can do better… she’s like, ‘Why ain’t y’all doing that?’ She’s competitive just like us. She’s willing to do whatever it takes.”
That competitive fire extends to the financial side of racing. Tara helps manage the team’s budget and isn’t afraid to greenlight a purchase if it means improving performance. “What’s dangerous is she’s also the one that we have to go to with the checkbook when we want to buy a new motor or something,” Kallee says.
Tara’s cooking has become legendary at the track, too. From spaghetti to smoked meatloaf to their signature “Mills’ Hibachi” nights, no one goes hungry at the Mills Racing pit.
“If you know Mama Mills, you know that she’s cooking for everybody, even if they aren’t a part of our crew,” Kallee says. “You’re hungry, you can come to the Mills’ camp and she’s usually got something cooking.”More than anything, Kallee is thankful to have a mom who has always believed in her, even when the risks are high. “She trusts me and she’s never once said, ‘Are you sure this is what you want to do?’” Kallee says. “She’s always supported me in everything I’ve done.”
