S.M.A.S.H iRacing Cup Series: Michael Prince Dominates Martinsville

By S.M.A.S.H — May 30, 2026

The S.M.A.S.H Cup Series closed out Martinsville weekend with a statement performance from the front of the field.

After 200 laps around Martinsville Speedway, it was Michael Prince standing tall in the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, delivering one of the most dominant runs of the weekend.

Prince started from the pole, led 199 of 200 laps, posted the fastest lap of the race, and controlled the night from start to finish.

Martinsville usually does not make things easy.

This time, Prince made it look controlled.

Behind him, the rest of the Cup Series field fought through traffic, restarts, cautions, and the constant pressure that comes with racing at the paperclip. The final result showed a race that was demanding, physical, and difficult to manage, but at the front, the No. 42 was the story.

Prince Owns the Night

Michael Prince did everything a driver can do at Martinsville.

He qualified on pole.

He led almost the entire race.

He set the fastest lap.

And when the race reached the finish, he was still the driver everyone else was chasing.

Prince led 199 laps and turned the fastest lap of the event with a 19.254-second lap. At Martinsville, that kind of control is not easy. The field gets stacked up. Restarts erase gaps. Traffic gets difficult. The braking zones can punish even the smallest mistake.

But Prince never let the race get away from him.

Every time the field had a chance to reset, the No. 42 answered. Every time Martinsville offered a chance for the race to change, Prince stayed in command.

That is not just speed.

That is execution.

Nick Biddy Brings Home Second

Behind Prince, Nick Biddy finished second in the No. 32 Ford Mustang after starting fifth.

Biddy put together a strong night and kept himself in position all the way to the end. Martinsville is not an easy place to move forward, especially in a long Cup Series race where track position matters and patience can disappear quickly.

A runner-up finish at the paperclip takes discipline.

Biddy kept the car clean enough, stayed inside the fight, and came away with a strong second-place finish.

On a night where Prince had the field covered, second was still a result worth earning.

Rob Caryl Completes the Podium

Rob Caryl finished third in the No. 40 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, giving the Cup Series a strong podium at Martinsville.

Caryl started fourth and finished third, showing steady pace and consistency throughout the race. He did not lead laps, but he kept himself where he needed to be and finished the night on the podium.

At Martinsville, that matters.

Not every strong run has to be flashy. Sometimes the best result comes from avoiding mistakes, holding track position, and staying in the fight while others lose rhythm.

Caryl did exactly that.

Trammell and Richardson Round Out the Top Five

Chris Trammell brought the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 home in fourth after starting eighth.

That was one of the stronger runs inside the front half of the field. Trammell gained positions, stayed in contention, and finished inside the top five on a night where clean execution mattered more than raw aggression.

Rounding out the top five was Lee Richardson IV in the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Richardson started 14th and finished fifth, making him one of the biggest movers near the front. Gaining nine spots at Martinsville is no small thing. Passing is difficult, restarts are tense, and traffic can trap a driver for long stretches.

Richardson found a way through it and left Martinsville with a top-five finish.

Melton Continues to Show Fight

Christopher Melton finished sixth in the No. 49 Toyota Camry after starting 15th.

That run deserves attention.

Melton gained nine positions and finished all 200 laps, putting together another solid performance in a field where the Cup cars demanded patience and control. Martinsville is not a place where drivers can force everything and expect it to work out.

Melton’s night was about staying with it.

He worked forward, avoided enough trouble, and turned a deep starting spot into a strong finish.

That is the kind of race that shows growth.

Jesse Sampson Leads a Lap and Finishes Ninth

One of the unique notes from the race was Jesse R Sampson in the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Sampson finished ninth and was the only driver other than Prince to lead a lap. He completed 199 laps and came away with a top-10 finish in a race dominated by the No. 42.

That one lap led matters because it shows how controlled Prince’s night really was.

Out of 200 laps, only one got away from him.

A Tough Night at the Paperclip

The Cup Series race reached the full 200-lap distance and featured 11 cautions for 44 caution laps, along with 2 lead changes.

That tells the story of the night behind the leader.

Martinsville kept the pressure on the field. Restarts were a major factor, and every caution gave drivers another chance to either recover or get caught in trouble. With the field packed together, every brake zone mattered and every restart had the potential to change someone’s race.

That is what Martinsville does.

It tests more than speed.

It tests control.

It tests patience.

It tests the ability to stay focused when the night gets long and the track gives drivers very little room to work.

Official Top 10 Finishers

1. Michael Prince — No. 42

2. Nick Biddy — No. 32

3. Rob Caryl — No. 40

4. Chris Trammell — No. 9

5. Lee Richardson IV — No. 5

6. Christopher Melton — No. 49

7. Austin Gum — No. 6

8. Ronnie Pyland — No. 55

9. Jesse R Sampson — No. 10

10. Justin Caughenbaugh — No. 08

Martinsville Shows the Cup Standard

The Cup Series closed the Martinsville weekend with a race that showed both dominance at the front and pressure throughout the field.

Prince was the clear class of the field, but behind him, drivers still had to fight for every spot. The top 10 was filled with drivers who managed the chaos, kept digging, and found a way to finish strong at one of the toughest short tracks on the schedule.

Martinsville is not about comfort.

It is about staying composed when the race keeps tightening around you.

The bumper is close.

The corners are flat.

The braking zones are heavy.

And the patience runs thin.

That is why a strong finish at Martinsville means something.

Final Word

Michael Prince leaves Martinsville with a dominant S.M.A.S.H Cup Series victory after leading 199 of 200 laps, starting from the pole, and setting the fastest lap of the race.

Nick Biddy finished second with a strong run.

Rob Caryl completed the podium.

Chris Trammell and Lee Richardson IV rounded out the top five.

And the Cup Series field closed the Martinsville weekend with another tough short-track battle.

This was Prince’s night.

The No. 42 controlled the paperclip, handled the restarts, managed the pressure, and finished the job.

Martinsville tested the field.

Michael Prince passed that test at the front.

Integrity • Respect • Competition