Race 1 of the Super Late Model East Regional Series Season 2 kicked off at with 35 laps that immediately set the tone for how tight this points chase can be. With the scoring format paying 12 points to win (then one less per finishing position) and 1 bonus point for qualifying fast time, Lincoln offered an early opportunity to separate—especially with six races still left on the schedule.

At the front, Jake Silvia delivered the kind of opener every title contender wants: he rolled off P1, jumped out front early, and ultimately scored the win for a 13-point maximum (12 for the victory plus the 1-point qualifying bonus). Silvia was also credited with leading 35 laps, which tells you how important clean air and track position were over the full distance.

The closing laps, however, weren’t short on pressure. Aidan Strawberry had to fight back into contention after falling to 4th early, nearly a straightaway behind Silvia. From there, Strawberry methodically worked forward—getting around Easton Zent and Robert Hentschel to reclaim second—and then reeled Silvia in. On the final lap, Strawberry took the lead in Turns 1 and 2, but contact in Turns 3 and 4 resulted in Silvia getting back to the point and securing the win. Strawberry still capped the night with a strong P2 run worth 11 points, and he also set the fastest lap of the race with a 15.557—a clear sign the speed is there even if fastest lap itself doesn’t pay in this points format.

Behind them, Robert Hentschel put together one of the most productive drives of the night. Starting 7th and finishing 3rd, Hentschel gained four positions—the biggest move forward in the field—and turned it into a valuable 10-point result. In a seven-race season, that kind of “limit the damage and score big points” run is exactly how drivers stay in the title conversation even without winning. Kamden Gossard (started 5th, finished 4th) and Easton Zent (started 6th, finished 5th) rounded out the top five and kept themselves within immediate striking distance of the lead.

The mid-pack results also shaped the early standings in a major way. Thomas Enger advanced from 9th to 6th but was marked disconnected after completing 5 laps, while Rookie Cortney Coyle was also marked disconnected and did not record a lap time in the results. Meanwhile, Spencer Harp and Matthew Shultz—who started 4th and 3rd, respectively—were both listed as DQ/Scoring Invalidated, and each recorded 10 incidents. Even with points still being shown in the results, those finishes represent a steep early-season hit compared to where they began the race, and that matters more when there are only six rounds remaining to recover.

After one race, the points picture is already tight at the top, but the qualifying bonus point is showing its value immediately. Silvia’s win would normally create a 1-point gap over second (12–11), but the pole bonus stretches it to two (13–11). With six races left, the maximum swing in a single round is still large—especially for anyone who can stack wins and also grab that 1-point qualifying edge. The battle is already shaping up as a mix of “race-winning speed” and “bonus-point execution,” and Lincoln made it clear that every single point is going to matter.

What’s Next

The series moves to The for Race 2. With the top five separated by just a handful of points after the opener, Charlotte becomes an early chance to either confirm Silvia’s momentum—or for Strawberry, Hentschel, and the rest of the contenders to strike back before the season gets away from them.

RACE 1 RESULTS — LINCOLN SPEEDWAY (35 Laps)

  1. Jake Silvia — Started 1st — Finished 1st — 13 pts (12 race + 1 qualifying bonus) — Led 35 laps

  2. Aidan Strawberry — Started 2nd — Finished 2nd — 11 pts — Fastest Lap: 15.557

  3. Robert Hentschel — Started 7th — Finished 3rd — 10 pts — Hard Charger (+4 positions)

  4. Kamden Gossard — Started 5th — Finished 4th — 9 pts

  5. Easton Zent — Started 6th — Finished 5th — 8 pts

  6. Thomas Enger — Started 9th — Finished 6th — 7 pts — Disconnected (5 laps completed)

  7. Cortney Coyle — Started 8th — Finished 7th — 6 pts — Disconnected

  8. Spencer Harp — Started 4th — Finished 8th — 5 pts — DQ/Scoring Invalidated

  9. Matthew Shultz — Started 3rd — Finished 9th — 4 pts — DQ/Scoring Invalidated

STANDINGS AFTER RACE 1 (Top 20)

  1. Jake Silvia — 13

  2. Aidan Strawberry — 11

  3. Robert Hentschel — 10

  4. Kamden Gossard — 9

  5. Easton Zent — 8

  6. Thomas Enger — 7

  7. Cortney Coyle — 6

  8. Spencer Harp — 5

  9. Matthew Shultz — 4

At the end
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