The Regional East Series kicked off its new season with 25 laps of tight, high-pressure racing at the front, and the opener instantly delivered a storyline worthy of a championship campaign. Aidan Strawberry walked away with the victory and the maximum points haul, but the path to the checkered was anything but simple—especially with Brenden McGlothlin and Brayden E Carter both taking turns at the front and pushing the pace deep into the run.

For much of the feature, it was a true three-driver battle for control. McGlothlin was a major factor early and in the middle portion, and Carter had speed to match anyone in the building. But as the laps wound down and the leaders got more aggressive, contact between Carter and McGlothlin inevitably opened the door—and Strawberry wasted no time turning that moment into a decisive gap. Once Aidan had clean air, he was able to finish the job and bank the kind of win that sets the tone for a season.

Even with Strawberry taking the win, there were big performances over the top 10. Justin Thomas delivered a strong runner-up result and immediately puts himself in the conversation as one of the early points challengers. Carter backed up his front-running speed with a podium finish in third, and he also posted the fastest lap of the race (16.702)—a clear sign that the raw pace is there to win soon if the breaks go his way.

Mid-pack, the “who’s coming?” story was loud. Doug Welch and Jennifer Schmitz both put on hard-charger drives, each gaining five positions to climb into the top 10 and score points that matter right away in a short series. Casey Borgmeyer also made a clean move forward, gaining two spots and taking a valuable top-five finish—exactly the kind of result that keeps you in the hunt if the front two ever slip.

On the flip side, the toughest swing belonged to Matthew Watson2, who lost the most track position in the field, and McGlothlin’s final result didn’t reflect how strong he was at the front for much of the race. That’s what makes this opener so important for the points picture: it’s not just about who’s fast—it’s about who can convert speed into a complete points night.

With Round 1 complete, Strawberry’s max-points start gives him the early advantage, but there’s plenty of season left and a deep group already showing front-running potential. Thomas, Carter, Hanson, and Borgmeyer are all within striking distance after just one race, and the hard chargers proved that starting spot won’t automatically decide who has a say in the standings.

What’s Next
Next on the schedule is (NY), and if the opener is any indication, the East Series is going to be a weekly fight for every point.

RESULTS

  1. Aidan Strawberry

  2. Justin Thomas

  3. Brayden E Carter

  4. Jonathan Hanson

  5. Casey Borgmeyer

  6. Zac Williams4

  7. Brenden McGlothlin

  8. Doug Welch

  9. Jennifer Schmitz

  10. Thomas Eggenberger

TOP 10 IN STANDINGS

  1. Aidan Strawberry — 13

  2. Justin Thomas — 11

  3. Brayden E Carter — 10

  4. Jonathan Hanson — 9

  5. Casey Borgmeyer — 8

  6. Zac Williams4 — 7

  7. Brenden McGlothlin — 6

  8. Doug Welch — 5

  9. Jennifer Schmitz — 4

  10. Thomas Eggenberger — 3

• You can race with ICL for free, following along with race day info in our discord here: https://discord.gg/vQmsdwxvTf
• Become a VIP member to be eligible for Payouts and Provisionals: https://www.iracingchampions.com/signup/
• Subscribe to our Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWWJrcsnS02EYhcoT6WThGQ?sub_confirmation=1