The ICL Mini Stocks closed out their season in dramatic fashion at Oswego Speedway, and the finale delivered exactly what a championship night should: lead changes, late-race pressure, and a points battle that stayed alive until the very end. For the second race in a row, the winner was ultimately decided after post-race penalties, and when the final order was set it was Brayden E Carter who was declared the race winner. But the bigger story across the full season was the championship—Aidan Strawberry held on to win the title by just one point, surviving a chaotic night and sealing one of the tightest finishes the ICL Mini Stocks have seen.
On track, the early laps belonged to new blood. Ross Dalton made his first career ICL start and immediately showed he wasn’t there just to log laps. Dalton got around Aaron Stoltz early and led laps, putting his name at the front of the field right away and forcing the veterans to respond. That early control added another twist to a race that already promised volatility, especially with a shorter 35-lap distance where every position gained or lost comes with an outsized impact.
As the race settled in, the battle became exactly what fans of tight short-track racing love—a sustained fight between Stoltz and Brayden E Carter. The two traded momentum and position through the middle portion of the run, and the beating and banging up front created the opening that Aidan Strawberry needed to pull himself into the conversation late. Strawberry didn’t need to win the race—he needed to be smart, close, and consistent—yet he still found himself right in the heart of the fight when it mattered most.
Carter’s victory was built on execution and survival. He started 6th, stayed patient as the early leaders swapped control, and put himself in position to capitalize as the race progressed. Strawberry followed closely behind in 2nd, a result that ended up being championship-defining. Stoltz finished 3rd after leading the most laps on the night, and Nathan Henderson3 added another strong result in 4th. Jarod Fowler2 finished 5th, and his momentum continues to build—this marked his third top-five in a row, a late-season run that has turned him into one of the most consistent closers in the series.
When the points were finalized, the season ended on a razor’s edge. Strawberry’s runner-up finish was enough to keep him on top, as he captured the ICL Mini Stock championship by one point over Brayden E Carter. That’s as tight as it gets—and it perfectly reflects how this season has played out, with both drivers repeatedly finding ways to stay near the front even on nights where the race itself got messy. Behind them, Tucker Schroerlucke ended the season in the top three overall after a strong win streak earlier in the year, but the finale showed again how quickly momentum can shift in Mini Stocks when traffic and timing collide.
Results: 1) Brayden E Carter, 2) Aidan Strawberry, 3) Aaron Stoltz, 4) Nathan Henderson3, 5) Jarod Fowler2, 6) Jaleel Bennett, 7) Peyton Worden2, 8) Chris Swanson2, 9) Ross Dalton, 10) Brett Tyler Baldeck, 11) Dayton Ullrich, 12) Spencer Harp, 13) Damen Leonard, 14) Tony Miley, 15) Stacy Mcmullan2
Standings (Top 10): 1) Aidan Strawberry (59), 2) Brayden E Carter (58), 3) Tucker Schroerlucke (51), 4) Robert Eversole (31), 5) Jesse Henderson (31), 6) Jarod Fowler2 (30), 7) Casey Wynn (30), 8) Matt Clifton (29), 9) Peyton Worden2 (15), 10) Bryan Gravil (13)
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