Race 2 of the Central Regional Series brought the field to , and the second round of Season 2 delivered exactly what a momentum race should: a dominant pace up front, a late-race twist at the line, and a points picture that’s already starting to separate the contenders from the pack. With the points format paying 12 to win, one point less per position behind, plus 1 point for qualifying fast time, Limaland became an early season checkpoint where every lap and every position mattered.

At the front, Aidan Strawberry once again proved why he’s the standard right now. Strawberry led 30 laps, posted the fastest lap of the race (13.170), and kept control in a finish that was far closer than the lap chart suggests. Brayden E Carter was on Strawberry’s bumper for nearly the entire run, never letting the leader breathe, and the two delivered the night’s defining moment when they swapped the lead on the final lap in Turns 1–2. Carter had a real shot to steal it, but Strawberry answered immediately and held on through the final corners to secure another win. That back-to-back start is about as strong as it gets in a 7-race season.

The story of this race wasn’t just the battle at the front—it was also what happened behind it early. A big incident on lap 4 reshaped the night, removing several drivers who came in with legitimate upside, including Michael D Carter, Brenden McGlothlin, Nick Camper, and Aaron Crowell. In a season where consistency wins championships, those kinds of moments don’t just affect a single finishing order—they can have a real impact on the standings later when the points add up.

With several major names knocked out of rhythm early, the door opened for others to seize a career night. The biggest headline there belongs to Dolan Cole, who delivered the best finish of his career in 3rd place—a massive result in just his 5th career start. Cam H Smith kept the pressure on as well with a strong 4th, and David Welter rounded out the top five to grab a valuable 8-point night. That stretch from third through fifth was a perfect example of how quickly a season can change: one clean night and a smart run can turn into a breakthrough and a points launch.

Even beyond the podium, Limaland rewarded forward progress. Devan Whitlock put together one of the best climbs of the night, charging from 16th to 6th for 7 points. Zach Ellisz continued his steady start to the year, improving from 13th to 7th, while David Haag advanced from 14th to 8th. On the other side of the swing, Brenden McGlothlin had the toughest drop in track position among the top starters, slipping from P2 to the back half of the finishing order after being caught up early.

After two races, the standings are already starting to show a clear theme: Strawberry is building a lead by stacking maximum-point nights. With 26 points, he’s now perfect through two rounds. Behind him, the fight for second is wide open—McGlothlin sits second on 13, while several drivers are close enough that one strong run can shuffle the entire top ten. Carter’s runner-up at Limaland gives him an important foothold in the standings, and Cole’s career night launches him straight into the championship conversation. With five races left, this is where the series shifts from “early season” to “every point matters.”

RESULTS (Limaland Motorsports Park — Race 2)

  1. Aidan Strawberry

  2. Brayden E Carter

  3. Dolan Cole

  4. Cam H Smith

  5. David Welter

  6. Devan Whitlock

  7. Zach Ellisz

  8. David Haag

  9. Jayden Bolyard

  10. Dalston Rutherford

  11. Brenden McGlothlin

  12. Michael D Carter

  13. Nick Camper

  14. Aaron Crowell

  15. Dusty Fincher

  16. Jonathan Raney

TOP 10 STANDINGS (After Race 2)

  1. Aidan Strawberry — 26

  2. Brenden McGlothlin — 13

  3. Brayden E Carter — 11

  4. Dolan Cole — 10

  5. Doug Welch — 10

  6. Brayden Avila — 9

  7. Cam H Smith — 9

  8. Steven Schroetlin — 8

  9. David Welter — 8

  10. Anton Hernandez — 7

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