Actor and former Iraq War veteran J.R. Martinez and professional dance partner Karina Smirnoff won the mirrorball trophy on Tuesday on the season finale of ABC's Dancing With the Stars.

The pair proudly hoisted their trophy backstage for reporters after holding off runners up Rob Kardashian and partner Cheryl Burke.

"This just tops off the whole journey we've been on for three months," Martinez told New York's WABC-TV alongside Smirnoff.

"America believed in us ... thank you for voting for us."

Smirnoff thanked all the behind the scenes staff for putting together the program and expressed surprised at the trophy.

"It's so heavy, I had no idea," she said.

The three finalists - Ricki Lake, Rob Kardashian and Martinez - performed their favorite dances from season 13 on Tuesday to add to their points scored by judges.

Judges' votes are added to the audience's votes to determine the winner.

Lake got the biggest scores from the judges on Tuesday night but in the end the audience's votes determined her elimination.

Lake hugged her partner Derek Hough when she heard her name while Kardashian and Martinez appeared surprised.

"I really appreciate everyone who voted for me and supported me along the way. This is fantasy come true," Lake said.