Port Royal Speedway is next on deck for the ICL Dirt Modifieds, and it’s hard to imagine a better place for the East title fight to heat up. The “Speed Palace” has a way of rewarding drivers who can run right on the edge without stepping over it—fast entries, committed throttle, and a rhythm that punishes even small mistakes. With the East standings tightening at the top, Port Royal isn’t just another stop on the schedule… it’s the kind of track that can swing momentum for the rest of the season.
The headline entering this round is the points battle. Brayden E Carter leads the series with 55 points, but Aidan Strawberry is right there at 51. That four-point gap is nothing in this format—especially when the qualifying fast time bonus point can matter as much as a position on track. Carter’s season has been defined by stacking strong results and keeping the points pressure on every week. Strawberry has done what title contenders have to do: stay in the fight, keep the floor high, and make sure every night ends with points on the board. Port Royal is the exact type of place where one driver can look unstoppable—so whoever hits the setup window first could take a big bite out of that gap.
Behind them, the battle for the payout positions is getting just as interesting. Brenden McGlothlin (26) and Branson Woodward (24) are separated by only two points, and that kind of margin disappears quickly when you’re racing a place as intense as Port Royal. Then there’s the next group: Evan Nugent and Tommy Toughknuckles are tied at 14, and both have already shown they can punch above their weight and steal valuable points from the “usual suspects.” One strong Port Royal run could completely reshuffle that middle chunk of the standings.
Port Royal’s history suggests this is not a venue where you can rely on reputation alone. The all-time win list here is short but telling: Mitchell Huddleston, Mike Augustine, and Adam Holbert have each been perfect in their lone starts at the track (one start, one win), while Colton Zimmer, Cale Smith, and Aidan Strawberry have also found victory lane at Port Royal. In other words, winners have come from multiple directions—this place doesn’t hand out repeats automatically, and it has a habit of producing a fresh headline when the field thinks they have it figured out.
Last season’s Port Royal race was a great example of how quickly this track can become a statement night. Adam Holbert was untouchable up front, leading every lap on the way to the win. Behind him, drivers like Aaron Langley, Ashton Cohee, Drew Hopkins, and Michael Walker18 rounded out a top five that proved you don’t need to be a weekly points leader to show up and contend here. With the East standings so close right now, that’s the exact kind of spoiler potential that could change the championship math: a strong “one-off” run by a track specialist can steal points away from the title contenders and compress the entire race-night picture.
So what should everyone watch for? First, the fast time point—because with Carter and Strawberry separated by four, one bonus point can matter more than people think. Second, track position will be huge early, but Port Royal is still a place where confidence can create opportunities, especially when the leaders get into traffic. Third, keep an eye on the drivers sitting around the payout line. With the series depth growing, the East leaders don’t just have to beat each other—they have to beat a field that’s getting more dangerous every week.
Port Royal is one of those tracks where the winner doesn’t just “win a race”—they walk away with a season-level momentum boost. Whether it’s Carter extending the lead, Strawberry pulling the points back within one night, or a new name stealing the spotlight, this is the round that can make the East championship feel very real, very fast.
Season 1 Port Royal Results
- Adam Holbert
- Aaron Langley
- Ashton Cohee
- Drew Hopkins
- Michael Walker18
- Richie Yost
- Evin Hinkle
- Thomas Armell
- Brandon Holtmeier
- Brodie Thompson
- Dalen T Cunningham
- Derek E Stewart
- Carter Russo
- Buddy Ware
- Aidan Strawberry
- Kole Koehler
- Mark Keeteman
- Mason Leon
- Sonja Jones
Current Top 10 in Points
- Brayden E Carter — 55
- Aidan Strawberry — 51
- Brenden McGlothlin — 26
- Branson Woodward — 24
- Evan Nugent — 14
- Tommy Toughknuckles — 14
- Clayton D Johnson — 12
- Kaeden Cornell — 11
- Justin Thomas — 11
- Brandon Holtmeier — 10
