Kallee Mills, a veteran driver in No Prep Kings, Pro 10.5, and X275, has announced she will be diving into the next chapter of her career – competing in the world of Pro Modified.
Mills will be driving a screw-blown 1968 Camaro built by Larry Jeffers – a car that was originally supposed to be for Kallee’s father, Dewayne Mills, who helped with the design. Unfortunately, due to health concerns, Mills and Jeffers made the decision to sell the car to Paul Brandt. However, a short trip to visit Brandt following the No Prep Elite season finale at the Texas Motorplex ended up bringing the car full circle back to the Mills family.
“I was supposed to go down on Sunday after No Prep Elite and just sit in the car to see how I fit,” said Mills. “We were going to build a ‘68 Camaro from Larry [Jeffers], but I wanted to see how it feels, because in some of those Pro Mods, once you get the windows laid back it’s kind of hard to see out of them. I sat in the car and I fit perfectly. It was a perfect for me, so we just decided to buy it.”
Stepping up to help the Mills family and purchase the car was Paul Hayden, owner of American Pride Golf Cart Services. As a long-time sponsor/partner with many drag racing teams, media companies, and racetracks, Hayden saw an opportunity to dive headfirst into the world of Pro Mod racing while also helping create a new star in the class.
“Because I support a lot of teams, and have spent a lot of money doing it, I figured it’s about time I bought a car,” Hayden said. “What I want to do is send the elevator back down and allow somebody else to rise. When I look at a young lady like Kallee, with her talent and her father’s pedigree, it was just a natural fit to help her get to the next level.”
Just one year ago, as a Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 honoree, Mills said that one day before her driving career was over, fans would see her in a Pro Mod. But she admits she didn’t think it would come to fruition so quickly.
“I’ve always wanted to run Pro Mod,” said Mills. “But then we went to a few PDRA races this year and I kind of got the Pro Mod fever. We didn’t know it would be this quick. Honestly, we were waiting to see how everything turned out with the business after this year, and that’s when we were going to pull the plug and try to do something for 2026. This essentially just sped up the process.”
Mills, who spent most of 2024 competing in both PDRA Pro Street and numerous no prep events, will shift her focus primarily on Pro Mod for next season. The car should be finished up and ready to begin testing by the beginning of the year in preparation for both PDRA Pro Boost and the Midwest Drag Racing Series.
“We’ll hit Pro Mod pretty hard in 2025,” Mills said. “Last year, I was still gung-ho about no prep racing. But we had to take a step back and look at our budget and what we could afford. I think this might open the door for us to be involved with different stuff. That’s what we’re spending all the money on, so that’s where I want to focus. I want to be sure we’re prepared and ready to go fast.”
Mills says she is eager to meet and hang out with a new group of fans at the track, and while she’s thankful for all the opportunities NPK and other no prep events have given her, she’s also looking forward to lighting up the scoreboards. But perhaps most of all, she’s excited about the little things, like being able to spend time cooking or hanging out by a fire with her team, which is comprised of family and close friends.
“I’m very blessed to have the people I’m surrounded with,” said Mills. “My parents, Tara and Dewayne, have always supported me in everything I do. Mike Simms, Brendan Russell, Amber Close, Paul and Jeanne Hayden…without Paul, I wouldn’t be able to do this.”
Hayden echoes the sentiment, explaining those family values were one of the things that drew him to partner with the Mills family in the first place, and will continue to be a driving force moving forward.
“I’ve been a major sponsor with Kallee – and the Mills family – for a long time,” Hayden said. “Being around their family makes me feel like I’m with my real family. It’s one of those relationships where you speak the same language in every way. It makes it easy for me to be with them and invest in them. I feel very blessed that this opportunity presented itself. I think our relationship will not only be lasting, but also productive.”
This story was originally published on November 27, 2024. 
The post Kallee Mills Announces Move to Pro Mod, Discusses Plans for 2025 Season first appeared on Drag Illustrated.