S.M.A.S.H iRacing Cup Series: Caryl Closes the Deal at Texas

By S.M.A.S.H — June 6, 2026

The S.M.A.S.H Cup Series closed out Texas weekend with one of the most dramatic finishes of the night.

With the Season One points battle down to its final stretch, the Cup field rolled into Texas Motor Speedway knowing there was very little room left for mistakes. Every lap mattered. Every restart mattered. Every position carried weight.

By the time the checkered flag fell, the race had gone beyond the scheduled distance and stretched to 94 laps, with pressure building all the way to the finish.

When it was over, Rob Caryl stood on top.

Caryl drove the No. 40 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to victory at Texas, leading only one lap — the one that mattered most.

It was a late-race finish that showed exactly why the Cup Series can change in a hurry.

Caryl Gets the Finish That Counts

Rob Caryl started fifth and stayed in position to matter when the race reached its closing laps.

Texas was not a race where Caryl controlled the night from the start. It was a race where he stayed close enough, managed the situation, and made the move when the opportunity came.

That is what matters in late-season racing.

You do not always have to lead the most laps.

You have to be there when it counts.

Caryl led 1 lap in the race, but that lap was enough to put the No. 40 in Victory Lane. In a race that reached 94 laps and had multiple cautions, staying alive and staying in the fight was the key.

Caryl did exactly that.

Hernandez Dominates Most of the Night

Patrick Hernandez had the strongest car for most of the race.

Hernandez put the No. 91 Toyota Camry on the pole, controlled the front, and led 89 laps. For nearly the entire race, it looked like Texas belonged to him.

He also finished with zero incidents, which makes the run even more impressive.

A second-place finish after leading that many laps can sting, but Hernandez still put together a major night. He showed speed, control, and the ability to handle the front of the field under pressure.

The win slipped away late, but the performance was still one of the strongest of the season.

Melton Charges From Deep in the Field

One of the biggest stories of the race was Christopher Melton.

Melton started seventeenth and drove the No. 49 Toyota Camry all the way to third, gaining fourteen positions by the end of the race.

That is the kind of run that deserves attention.

Texas is not an easy place to make up that much ground, especially in the Cup car. Dirty air, restart traffic, and long-run balance can make passing difficult. Melton worked through it and turned a deep starting spot into a podium finish.

That was a strong recovery drive and one of the best moves forward in the field.

Rogers and Vadnais Round Out the Top Five

Ash Rogers finished fourth in the No. 69 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 after starting eleventh.

Rogers also led 4 laps, showing he had enough speed to get to the front and be part of the fight. A top-five finish after starting outside the top 10 is a strong result at this point in the season.

Rounding out the top five was Gregory Vadnais in the No. 65 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Vadnais started seventh and finished fifth, putting together a steady night that kept him near the front when the race reached the end.

Top-five finishes matter this late in the year.

With only a small window left in the points battle, drivers need every strong result they can get.

Sasak, Smith, Pyland, Drost, and Caughenbaugh Complete the Top 10

Nicholas Sasak finished sixth in the No. 14 Ford Mustang, giving him a solid run after starting fourth.

Brian Smith brought the No. 26 Ford Mustang home seventh after starting fourteenth, gaining seven positions and finishing on the lead lap.

Ronnie Pyland finished eighth in the No. 55 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 after starting second. Pyland had speed early and stayed inside the top 10 by the finish.

Scott Drost finished ninth in the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, while Justin Caughenbaugh rounded out the top 10 in the No. 08 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Caughenbaugh’s finish is worth noting because the No. 08 moved forward from twelfth to tenth and kept himself inside the top 10 in a race where several drivers had trouble.

Marcum Sets Fastest Lap

Even though his final result did not match the speed he showed, Shane Marcum had the fastest lap of the race.

Marcum turned a 29.4399-second lap in the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

That was the quickest lap recorded in the event, but his race ended short after completing 39 laps. It was a reminder that speed alone does not always finish the job, especially in the Cup Series at Texas.

Texas rewarded drivers who could survive the full distance.

A Tough Texas Night

The Cup Series race at Texas was not clean and quiet.

The field completed 94 laps with 6 cautions for 18 caution laps. There were 2 lead changes, with Patrick Hernandez, Ash Rogers, and Rob Caryl all spending time out front.

Those numbers tell the story of a race that had speed, pressure, and plenty of reset points.

Every caution gave drivers another chance.

Every restart created another opportunity.

Every mistake had the potential to change the race.

That is what made the finish so important.

Caryl was there when it counted.

Hernandez controlled most of the night.

Melton charged from deep in the field.

And the rest of the top 10 had to earn their way through a race that kept changing.

Official Top 10 Finishers

1. Rob Caryl — No. 40

2. Patrick Hernandez — No. 91

3. Christopher Melton — No. 49

4. Ash Rogers — No. 69

5. Gregory Vadnais — No. 65

6. Nicholas Sasak — No. 14

7. Brian Smith — No. 26

8. Ronnie Pyland — No. 55

9. Scott Drost — No. 2

10. Justin Caughenbaugh — No. 08

Points Battle Keeps Tightening

Texas came at a critical time for the Cup Series.

The season is almost out of room.

At this stage, a win can change momentum. A top-five can protect a position. A bad finish can hurt badly. Drivers no longer have weeks and weeks to recover from mistakes.

That is what made Texas so important.

Caryl leaves with the win.

Hernandez leaves with a strong second-place finish after dominating most of the race.

Melton leaves with one of the strongest charges of the night.

And the rest of the field now has one fewer chance to make something happen before the season reaches its final stop.

Final Word

Rob Caryl closed the deal at Texas Motor Speedway, leading the final lap and taking the S.M.A.S.H Cup Series victory in the No. 40 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Patrick Hernandez finished second after leading 89 laps from the pole.

Christopher Melton charged from seventeenth to third to complete the podium.

Ash Rogers and Gregory Vadnais rounded out the top five.

The Cup Series race went 94 laps, featured 6 cautions, and delivered a finish that proved once again that Texas can change everything in the closing moments.

The points battle is almost out of time.

Every lap matters.

Every point matters.

And the Cup Series still has unfinished business.

Integrity • Respect • Competition