S.M.A.S.H iRacing Season 1 Champions Crowned Across All Four Series

By S.M.A.S.H — June 14, 2026

Season 1 is complete.

After weeks of racing, pressure, points battles, long green-flag runs, late-race heartbreak, statement wins, tough tracks, and championship nights under the lights, S.M.A.S.H has officially crowned its Season 1 champions across all four major series.

The first season of S.M.A.S.H competition delivered exactly what this league was built for.

Integrity.

Respect.

Competition.

From the Challenger Truck Series to the East Coast Truck Series, from the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series to the Cup Series, every championship had its own story. Some drivers controlled the season from the front. Some had to survive pressure. Some had to close the deal at Darlington. Some had to fight through the final race with everything on the line.

Now the names are official.

Christopher Melton

Braxton DeWeese

Lee Richardson IV

Daryl Griffin

Four series.

Four champions.

One historic opening season for S.M.A.S.H.

Christopher Melton — Challenger Truck Series Champion

Christopher Melton is the Season 1 S.M.A.S.H Challenger Truck Series Champion.

Driving the No. 49 RAM, Melton put together the kind of season that defines what the Challenger Series is supposed to be about. The Challenger Truck Series was built as a place for drivers to develop, compete, learn race craft, and prove they belong in the S.M.A.S.H system.

Melton did exactly that.

Across the season, he showed consistency, patience, and the ability to survive the grind of a points battle. The Challenger Series was not always about dominating one single night. It was about showing up, finishing races, collecting points, and handling the pressure as the championship picture tightened.

By the time the season reached its final stretch, Melton had done enough to stand above the rest of the Challenger field.

The No. 49 RAM now leaves Season 1 with the championship banner.

Christopher Melton is the first S.M.A.S.H Challenger Truck Series Champion.

Braxton DeWeese — East Coast Truck Series Champion

Braxton DeWeese is the Season 1 S.M.A.S.H East Coast Truck Series Champion.

Driving the No. 15 Ford, DeWeese closed the season with one of the strongest championship-night performances of the year at Darlington Raceway.

Darlington did not offer any breaks. The East Coast Truck Series finale went green from start to finish with no cautions and no reset button. That meant every lap had to be earned, every gap had to be managed, and every mistake had to be avoided.

DeWeese handled the moment like a champion.

He started from the pole, led 101 of 110 laps, and won the race in dominant fashion. It was not just a championship-clinching night. It was a championship statement.

The No. 15 Ford was the truck to beat, and when the pressure was at its highest, DeWeese delivered his best performance of the season.

That is how a driver closes a title run.

Braxton DeWeese is the first S.M.A.S.H East Coast Truck Series Champion.

Lee Richardson IV — O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion

Lee Richardson IV is the Season 1 S.M.A.S.H O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion.

Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet, Richardson entered the Darlington finale with the points lead and the pressure of closing out a championship. A driver can lead the standings all season, but championship night still has to be finished.

Richardson did more than finish it.

He won it.

At Darlington, Richardson started seventh, worked his way to the front, led 70 of 110 laps, and captured the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series finale. The race went caution-free, which made his performance even stronger. There were no late yellows to reset the field. No easy breaks. No second chances.

Richardson had to manage the race, the tires, the wall, and the pressure.

He did all of it.

The No. 5 Chevrolet left Darlington with the race win and the championship.

Lee Richardson IV is the first S.M.A.S.H O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion.

Daryl Griffin — Cup Series Champion

Daryl Griffin is the Season 1 S.M.A.S.H Cup Series Champion.

Driving the No. 4 Ford, Griffin entered the Cup Series finale at Darlington in the middle of a championship fight. The title picture was tight, and the final race carried the full weight of the season.

Darlington made everyone earn it.

The Cup Series finale went 110 laps with no cautions, no caution laps, and no late-race reset. Dillon Canova won the race, but the championship battle belonged to Griffin.

Griffin started deep in the field and drove forward when it mattered most. He brought the No. 4 Ford home fourth, stayed clean, completed 105 laps, and delivered the result needed to claim the Cup Series title.

It was the kind of championship drive that does not need flash to matter.

It needed discipline.

It needed patience.

It needed control.

Griffin had all three.

Daryl Griffin is the first S.M.A.S.H Cup Series Champion.

Season 1 Champions

Challenger Truck Series Champion - Christopher Melton — No. 49 RAM

East Coast Truck Series Champion - Braxton DeWeese — No. 15 Ford

O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion - Lee Richardson IV — No. 5 Chevrolet

Cup Series Champion - Daryl Griffin — No. 4 Ford

A Foundation Has Been Set

Season 1 was more than just a first season.

It was the foundation.

It established the tone for S.M.A.S.H competition. It showed what the league expects from its drivers. It gave every series its own identity and gave every champion a place in league history.

The Challenger Truck Series produced a development champion in Christopher Melton.

The East Coast Truck Series produced a dominant closer in Braxton DeWeese.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series produced a title-winning statement from Lee Richardson IV.

The Cup Series produced a championship drive from Daryl Griffin under the biggest pressure of the season.

Each champion earned the right to carry that title.

Each championship tells a different story.

Together, they define Season 1.

Final Word

The first season of S.M.A.S.H is officially in the books.

There were wins, rivalries, hard lessons, strong runs, rough nights, and championship moments that will carry into the future of the league.

Now, four drivers stand at the top.

Christopher Melton.

Braxton DeWeese.

Lee Richardson IV.

Daryl Griffin.

They are the first group of S.M.A.S.H champions.

Season 1 belongs to them.

Integrity • Respect • Competition