NASCAR Regional drivers to watch: Dystany Spurlock finds rhythm; Mike Christopher Jr. emerging in Modified Tour

At the NASCAR Regional level, a driver can make a name for his or her self no matter the racing background. The list of names who have excelled over the past month includes those who have drag racing experience and competed in races overseas. Plenty of drivers have also built some early season momentum in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Local Racing Series. Below is a list of five drivers to keep an eye on heading into the month of May and beyond.

Known for her expertise as a professional motorcycle drag racer, Dystany Spurlock faced a learning curve as she began her transition into driving full-bodied stock cars on the ARCA Menards Series platform.

The first three starts for Spurlock have been quiet but successful. After finishing seventh in her ARCA Menards Series East debut at Hickory Motor Speedway, Spurlock recorded her first top 10 in the national ARCA Menards Series at Kansas Speedway on April 18, which was capped by an impressive save in the closing laps. 

The son of Mike Christopher and nephew of Modified legend Ted Christopher, Mike Christopher Jr. is doing everything possible to carry on the legacy of his famous last name.

At Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on April 12, Christopher earned his best finish of 2026 so far with a third. Building on that solid performance could be crucial toward Christopher finding Victory Lane in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour again after breaking through at Jennerstown Speedway in 2022.

A seasoned international competitor with more than 100 starts in the NASCAR Euro Series Open Division, Italy's Arianna Casoli is embarking on a new motorsports venture: stock-car racing in the United States. 

Casoli made her first start in Hickory Motor Speedway's Limited Late Model division on April 4, finishing 10th. The transition to asphalt short tracks is ongoing for Casoli, but she is determined to gain experience throughout 2026 while showcasing the determination that has guided her to success against many other drivers from around the world.

Although he has not yet won at Grandview Speedway this year, Eddie Strada finds himself atop the track's Modified standings.

A veteran dirt-track racer, Strada recorded consecutive third-place finishes to open Grandview's 2026 season before settling for a seventh in the track's most recent event on April 18. A long season awaits Strada, but building off the early consistency and tallying a few victories could be crucial toward earning his first Modified track championship at Grandview.

The most recent ARCA Menards Series West event at Tucson Speedway saw Gavin Ray earn a career-best finish of fifth.

Ray has only made six starts in the West Series so far, but he has displayed consistency with top-10 finishes in four of those appearances. With West Series veteran Jerry Pitts as his car owner, Ray finds himself in an ideal position to secure his maiden win if he can continue putting together strong results.