Race 4 of the Super Late Model East Regional Series (Season 2) landed at Port Royal Speedway on Jan 18, 2026, and it delivered exactly what this midpoint race needed to produce: a brand-new winner, a frantic closing stretch, and a points picture that’s starting to separate into “must-start” territory with only three races left in the seven-race season. With the scoring format paying 12 points to win (one less per finishing position) plus 1 bonus point for qualifying fast time, Port Royal was a perfect example of how a single extra point can completely reshape a night on the standings sheet.

At the front, Jaxon Hill came through to grab the win in a 28-lap main, sealing his second career ICL victory—and his first win since last February—coming in what was noted as his 13th career start. Hill didn’t have the pole bonus in his pocket, but the result still delivered the most important part: 12 points for the win and immediate entry into the Season 2 winner’s list. Behind him, Aidan Strawberry continued to do what points leaders do: capitalize every round. Strawberry finished 2nd yet again and added another 11 points, keeping his season-long rhythm intact as the calendar turns toward the closing stretch.

The story of the race was the intensity at the front. This wasn’t a runaway—this was a late-race fight where, as noted, the top four had a shot and Strawberry threw several sliders for the lead in the closing stages. Even though Hill officially takes the trophy, the numbers underline how tight it was: Strawberry was scored just 0.096 back at the finish, and Colin Cox and Samuel Wright5 were both within a second of the win as well (0.953 and 0.969 back). Two drivers also led laps—Wright led 20, Hill led 8—which matches the feel of a race that changed shape multiple times right up to the end.

A few performance details stood out on pure pace. Colin Cox recorded the fastest lap of the race at 17.710, and he backed it up with a strong 3rd-place finish worth 10 points. It was also noted as Cox’s 3rd career start and his best finish, making Port Royal a true breakout night. Wright, meanwhile, had what was described as his best chance at a first career win, starting on the front row and leading the most laps. Even though he finished 4th, Wright still walked away with 10 total points thanks to the 1-point qualifying fast time bonus (9 race points + 1 bonus). In a points system this tight, that one bonus point effectively allowed Wright to score the same total as 3rd place—an enormous detail when you’re fighting for position in the standings.

Port Royal also produced the kind of forward progress that can make a season. Brenden McGlothlin and Bradley Knotts earned hard-charger honors with matching +7 position gains—McGlothlin went 12th to 5th for 8 points, while Knotts went 15th to 8th for 5 points. Those are the drives that keep a mid-pack points bid alive and can quickly turn into top-10 relevance as more weeks get logged. And while the win fight grabbed the headlines, there were solid, steady runs behind the top five that mattered too: Cameron L Tucker landed 6th, Alan Chillot finished 7th after starting 11th, and Chris M Olson moved forward to finish 9th.

Now the standings are starting to tell the bigger story. Strawberry remains the model of consistency and sits on top with 44 points through four starts—that’s four straight nights of banking 11 points. With three races remaining, the maximum a driver can score from here is 39 points, so nothing is locked up, but the margin is real: Strawberry leads Samuel Wright5 by 16 (44–28) and Brayden E Carter by 18 (44–26). Wright’s Port Royal points haul was especially impactful because it moved him up into 2nd overall, and he now holds a 2-point edge over Carter for that spot. Carter has been perfect when he’s entered—two wins in two starts—but the math is now demanding appearances and bonus points as much as raw win potential. Meanwhile, Hill’s win immediately places him 5th in points despite only one start, and the next tier is stacked: Cox, Joseph Grandy, Robert Hentschel, and Chance Sealy2 are all sitting at 10 points, meaning one strong night can swing multiple positions in the top 10 as the series heads to the final three .

WHAT’S NEXT
Race 5 takes the series to Park. With only three races left after Port Royal, the points battle shifts from “early momentum” to “every round matters”—especially the qualifying bonus point, which has already proven it can change the outcome of both a race night and the standings order.

RACE 4 RESULTS — PORT ROYAL SPEEDWAY (28 Laps)

  1. Jaxon Hill

  2. Aidan Strawberry

  3. Colin Cox

  4. Samuel Wright5

  5. Brenden McGlothlin

  6. Cameron L Tucker

  7. Alan Chillot

  8. Bradley Knotts

  9. Chris M Olson

  10. Jake Deshong

  11. Garrett Boyd

TOP 10 STANDINGS AFTER RACE 4

  1. Aidan Strawberry — 44

  2. Samuel Wright5 — 28

  3. Brayden E Carter — 26

  4. Jake Silvia — 13

  5. Jaxon Hill — 12

  6. Colin Cox — 10

  7. Joseph Grandy — 10

  8. Robert Hentschel — 10

  9. Chance Sealy2 — 10

  10. Kamden Gossard — 9

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