The Central Regional Series kicked off Season 2 with its first stop at Lanier Speedway, and the opener immediately set a high bar for what it’s going to take to win this championship. With points paying 12 to win, one less per position behind, plus 1 point for qualifying fast time, every lap matters—and the very first race showed how quickly a driver can build a points cushion with a flawless night.

Aidan Strawberry was in a league of his own from the moment the field rolled. Starting up front, Strawberry led 30 laps, never gave anyone a real opening, and closed out the race with the kind of clean dominance that defines a championship-caliber run. It wasn’t just another win either—this one marked Win #73 of his career and came in his 573rd career start, adding another milestone to one of the most accomplished résumés in ICL Dirt Modified competition.

Behind the leader, the fight for the podium was packed with storylines and big moves. Brenden McGlothlin backed up front-running pace with a strong 2nd-place finish to open his season with 11 points, keeping the pressure on the top spot right away. But the biggest points swing came from deeper in the starting order, where drivers made serious ground in traffic and turned it into major early-season momentum.

The hard-charger spotlight belongs to Brayden Avila, who powered from 14th to 4th, a massive gain that turned into a 9-point opener and instant relevance in the standings. Right there with him was Doug Welch, who ripped from 11th to 3rd, grabbing 10 points and proving that you don’t need a front-row start to be a front-page storyline at Lanier. Anton Hernandez also made a big statement by charging from 12th to 6th to start the season with 7 points and a top-six finish.

Another name that deserves real attention early is Steven Schroetlin. In just his second career start, Schroetlin delivered his best career finish with a solid run to 5th, and that’s exactly how you build confidence—and a season—one result at a time. When you can turn limited experience into an 8-point night, you’re not just “showing up,” you’re building a foundation to become a weekly factor.

With this being the first race of the season, the standings mirror the results—but the points format already hints at the season storyline. Strawberry’s maximum score to open (win plus the qualifying bonus) creates an immediate advantage, while the drivers who climbed from mid-pack—Avila, Welch, and Hernandez—proved that consistent forward progress can keep you in the championship hunt even if you aren’t winning every week. It’s one race in, but the tone is set: this series is going to reward drivers who can execute cleanly and capitalize on every point available.

RESULTS (Lanier Speedway)

  1. Aidan Strawberry

  2. Brenden McGlothlin

  3. Doug Welch

  4. Brayden Avila

  5. Steven Schroetlin

  6. Anton Hernandez

  7. Dennis Holley

  8. Jimmy Watson3

  9. Jakob Sartain

  10. Michael Dawson9

  11. Garrett Porter3

  12. Alex Meisner

  13. Colton Zaputil

  14. Chase Johnson12

  15. Blayne Rousseau

  16. Dusty Fincher

  17. Jason Sartain Jr.

TOP 10 STANDINGS (After Race 1)

  1. Aidan Strawberry — 13

  2. Brenden McGlothlin — 11

  3. Doug Welch — 10

  4. Brayden Avila — 9

  5. Steven Schroetlin — 8

  6. Anton Hernandez — 7

  7. Dennis Holley — 6

  8. Jimmy Watson3 — 5

  9. Jakob Sartain — 4

  10. Michael Dawson9 — 3

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