🏁S.M.A.S.H Driver Spotlight: Dillon Canova, Aggressive by Nature, Calculated by Choice

By S.M.A.S.H — May 17, 2026

Some drivers ease into a race. Others bring speed, confidence, and the willingness to make something happen the moment the opportunity is there.

Dillon Canova is the second kind.

The driver of the #70 has quickly become one of the sharper names inside S.M.A.S.H, not because he races quietly, but because he brings a mix of raw pace, experience, and controlled aggression that forces everyone around him to pay attention.

When asked how he would describe his driving style, Dillon did not try to dress it up:

“Aggressive.”

That answer fits.

But it does not tell the whole story. Dillon is not just throwing the car into every gap and hoping it works out. There is thought behind the pressure. There is timing behind the move. There is experience behind the aggression.

Asked whether he is aggressive or calculated, Dillon gave the answer that explains him best:

“Aggressive, but calculated. I set moves up corners in advance, but as soon as the opportunity presents itself, I go for it.”

That is Dillon Canova in one sentence.

He is not waiting around for the race to hand him something. He is building the opportunity before most drivers even realize it is there.

Background

Name: Dillon Canova Number: #70 Experience: 13 years

Dillon’s path into iRacing started through friends and another racing title on PC.

“Found it through friends while playing Dirt Track Racing on PC.”

That simple start turned into something much bigger. Thirteen years later, Dillon is not a driver still trying to figure out who he is behind the wheel.

He knows.

He has the experience. He has the confidence. He has the pace. And he brings all of it into S.M.A.S.H every time the field rolls off.

Dillon found S.M.A.S.H through social media, but what stood out once he got here was the work being done behind the scenes.

“The extra work the admin team puts into the league.”

That answer says a lot.

Drivers can tell when a league is just opening sessions and when a league is actually trying to build something. S.M.A.S.H was built around competition, structure, presentation, and standards. Dillon noticed that part early.

The Approach

Dillon’s approach is built around speed, pressure, and experience.

When asked for his biggest strength as a driver, he did not overcomplicate it.

“Raw pace and experience.”

That is a dangerous combination.

Raw pace can put a driver near the front. Experience can keep him there. When a driver has both, the rest of the field has to deal with more than just one fast lap. They have to deal with someone who knows how to race, how to set up passes, and how to stay in control when the pressure starts building.

But Dillon also knows where the work still needs to happen.

His biggest weakness is one that can separate fast drivers from complete drivers.

“Tire saving with a tight racecar.”

That is a real answer.

In S.M.A.S.H, short-run speed gets attention, but long-run discipline wins races. A tight racecar can test a driver’s patience, especially one who naturally wants to attack.

Saving tires while still keeping pace is one of the hardest balances in league racing.

For Dillon, that is the next layer.

He already has the speed. The challenge is making that speed last when the car stops helping and the race starts asking for discipline.

Tracks That Fit the Style

Dillon’s favorite track is Martinsville.

“Martinsville, true short track on the NASCAR schedule.”

That answer fits his style perfectly.

Martinsville is not a place for drivers who want everything easy. It is tight, physical, and demanding. You have to manage the brakes, protect the tires, time your exits, and fight for every inch without letting the race get away from you.

A driver who describes himself as aggressive is naturally going to understand what Martinsville is about.

It rewards drivers who are willing to race hard, but it also punishes drivers who cross the line between pressure and impatience.

His toughest tracks are a different kind of challenge.

“New Texas Oval, CoTA.”

Every driver has places that test them. For Dillon, Texas and CoTA are the ones that stand out.

That range matters. Short tracks, intermediates, road courses, and reconfigured ovals all ask different questions. Even experienced drivers have places that force them to work harder.

Career Highlights

When asked about his most memorable racing moment, Dillon did not point to a sim race.

He pointed to real life.

“First real life win in my first race.”

That is the kind of moment a driver does not forget.

Winning the first time out creates a standard. It tells a driver what is possible. It also changes the way a driver looks at competition. Once you know what winning feels like, simply being there is not enough.

That competitive edge shows up in Dillon.

He is not in S.M.A.S.H just to ride around. He is here to compete, to win, and to chase something bigger than a weekly finish.

Life Outside the Car

Outside of sim racing, Dillon stays busy.

“Other types of gaming or shooting. Work keeps me pretty busy.”

Dillon also works as a detective.

That kind of job demands focus, awareness, and the ability to think through pressure. Those traits fit well behind the wheel, especially for a driver who talks about setting moves up before they happen.

His hobbies outside of sim racing are straightforward.

“Hunting.”

When asked what real race car he would want to drive, Dillon leaned toward short-track power, but left room for something different.

“Asphalt Super Late Model, though a GT3 around Daytona would be cool.”

That answer fits him.

An asphalt Super Late Model matches the short-track side of his personality. A GT3 around Daytona shows the other side — speed, precision, and the challenge of something outside the usual lane.

Mindset

Dillon models his style after a driver known for making things happen.

When asked if there are any drivers he is similar to, he had a clear answer.

“Most similar — Ross Chastain.”

That makes sense.

Chastain is aggressive, confident, and rarely invisible. He races with edge. He is willing to take the gap when it opens. He is the kind of driver who can frustrate competitors and still make them respect the pace.

Dillon brings some of that same energy.

He is not trying to disappear into the pack. He wants to apply pressure. He wants to create chances. He wants to be the driver making the next move instead of waiting for someone else to make a mistake.

Asked if he has ever rage quit a race, Dillon gave the answer most racers understand.

“Who hasn’t?”

That is honest.

Every driver has had a moment where frustration wins. The important part is whether that becomes the identity or just part of the learning process.

Dillon’s answers show a driver who can admit the edge without pretending racing never gets emotional.

S.M.A.S.H Perspective

Dillon sees S.M.A.S.H as a league with effort behind it.

That matters because drivers can feel the difference between a league that just opens sessions and a league that is trying to build something.

S.M.A.S.H is built around competition, structure, presentation, and standards.

Dillon noticed that.

He also sees the competition level for what it is.

“Good variety from top to bottom.”

That is important for a league.

A strong field is not only about the fastest drivers. It is about battles throughout the pack. It is about experienced racers, developing drivers, front-runners, grinders, and everyone in between having something to race for.

Dillon understands that S.M.A.S.H has different levels of competition across the field, and that variety is part of what makes the league work.

Rivalries & Edge

When asked who the toughest driver is to race against, Dillon did not hesitate.

“Braxton.”

That answer carries weight.

Braxton DeWeese has already built a reputation inside S.M.A.S.H as one of those drivers who can make any race difficult. If a driver names Braxton as the toughest to race against, that is not just a throwaway answer.

That is respect.

When it comes to drafting late in a race, Dillon would trust Lee Richardson.

“Lee Richardson.”

That says something different.

Drafting late in a race is about more than speed. It is about trust. It is about knowing the driver beside you or behind you is going to make the right decision when the field is tight, the finish is close, and one bad move can ruin everything.

Dillon sees Lee as that kind of driver.

Asked if there is one driver he owes payback to, Dillon kept it clean.

“No one currently.”

Asked if one driver owes him an apology, he did not carry any drama forward.

“All is water under the bridge.”

That is the right mindset for a driver with edge.

Aggressive racing will create moments. Contact happens. Frustration happens. But carrying every problem into the next race is how drivers start making emotional decisions.

Dillon may race aggressively, but he does not sound like a driver looking to build grudges.

He sounds like a driver looking to win.

Goals for the Season

Dillon’s goal for the season is simple.

“Championship.”

No long answer. No safe target. No soft landing.

Championship.

That is the kind of answer that puts a driver on the record. It also puts pressure on every race that follows. Winning a championship in S.M.A.S.H takes more than speed. It takes consistency, patience, damage control, and the ability to survive nights where the car is not perfect.

Dillon has the pace to be in that conversation.

Now the job is to turn that pace into a full season.

Final Word

Dillon Canova brings speed, aggression, and experience to S.M.A.S.H.

He knows who he is as a driver. He knows what makes him dangerous. He also knows where he still has to improve, especially when it comes to tire saving and managing a tight racecar over a long run.

That balance is what makes the #70 worth watching.

He is aggressive, but not careless. Confident, but not blind. Experienced, but still working.

Dillon came into S.M.A.S.H through social media and found a league where the effort behind the scenes matches the competition on track.

Now, with thirteen years of sim racing behind him and a championship goal in front of him, Dillon Canova is not just another fast driver in the field.

He is one of the drivers shaping the fight.