S.M.A.S.H East Coast All-Star Race: Jacob Szala Wins at Atlanta

By S.M.A.S.H — April 24, 2026

Atlanta delivered the kind of night an All-Star race is supposed to deliver.

With money on the line, a full field in the show, and no points to protect, the

S.M.A.S.H East Coast Truck Series All-Star Race turned into a hard-fought battle from start to finish.

When it was over, Jacob Szala stood on top of it all and claimed the All-Star win at Atlanta.

The race featured 23 drivers, a 2118 strength of field, 7 cautions, and 11 lead changes, giving the event exactly the kind of intensity you would expect from one of the biggest special races on the S.M.A.S.H calendar.

Szala Gets the Job Done

Szala completed 91 laps and finished the night in the No. 1 truck with 4 incidents, surviving a race where mistakes carried a bigger price than ever. In a field this deep, simply staying in position was not enough.

Drivers had to execute through cautions, restarts, and changing track position all night long.

Behind him, Patrick Hernandez finished second and Jaysin Houskeeper came home third, putting himself on the podium in one of the biggest races of the season.

Official Top 10

1. Jacob Szala — #1

2. Patrick Hernandez — #91

3. Jaysin Houskeeper — #17

4. Nick Biddy — #32

5. Jeffrey Stanton — #61

6. Austin Gum — #6

7. Ian Blanchard — #39

8. Braxton DeWeese — #15

9. Cody O'Connor — #57

10. Kyzer Riddell — #20

A Race Full of Movement

The All-Star Race never really settled in.

With 11 lead changes across the night, the front of the field stayed active, and no one was handed control of the race without a fight.

The caution count also kept the pressure high, forcing drivers to reset and deliver over and over again in a race where every restart mattered.

That is exactly what an All-Star race is supposed to look like.

Qualifying Told Part of the Story

Before the race started,

Braxton DeWeese put the No. 15 on pole with a 31.811-second qualifying lap.

Jay Szala qualified second with a 31.820, while Cody O'Connor turned a 31.826 for third. Jacob Szala qualified fourth at 31.840, and Darren T Vale rounded out the top five with a 31.843.

But Atlanta made sure qualifying was only the beginning. By the time the checkered flag fell, the finishing order told a very different story.

Final Word

No points. Cash on the line.Atlanta under the lights.

The All-Star Race was built to feel different, and it did.

And when it was over, Jacob Szala was the one standing at the top of the field as the S.M.A.S.H East Coast Truck Series All-Star winner.