Layne Riggs captures his first NASCAR Truck Series victory at the Milwaukee Mile on Sunday afternoon in the LiUNAI 250!
MILWAUKEE, Wi. – For the second straight day, a second-generation rising NASCAR racing star earned his first career win. This time it was 22-year-old Layne Riggs claiming the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory in Sunday’s Playoff-opening LiUNAI 175! at the historic Milwaukee Mile.
Layne Riggs Captures His First NASCAR Truck Series Victory at Milwaukee
Riggs, son of former NASCAR competitor Scott Riggs, took the lead from Ty Majeski with 53 laps remaining and pulled away to a solid 1.547-second victory over the Wisconsin native and a super-motivated group of Playoff drivers, making the rookie driver’s effort all the more impressive.
Rigg’s victory in the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford comes a day after 23-year-old Harrison Burton – son of former NASCAR star Jeff Burton – earned his first-career win in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
“I don’t even know how to describe it,’’ said an emotional Riggs, making only his 23rd start in the series, saying he knew in practice his truck was going to be in contention. “It’s awesome.’
“We’ve had a terrible year, it’s been an awful year, but I’ve learned so much though in my rookie season. After the start I thought there’s no way we’re going to get a win, we’ll do the best we can and just learn for next year. But I knew in practice this thing [today] was awesome.’’
Riggs was so happy and demonstrative that he dislocated his shoulder pumping his arms high in celebration – his team rushed over to help. And it certainly appeared Riggs was okay by the time he hugged his dad, Scott trackside.
“Dislocated my shoulder I was celebrating so hard, but it was worth it,’’ Riggs said smiling.
The LiUNAI 250! Results
Eight of the ten Playoff drivers finished just behind Riggs, including Majeski, the defending race winner and polesitter who led 45 of the 175 laps in the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes was third – leading a race-high 71 laps in his No. 19 Chevrolet. REV Racing’s Nick Sanchez and TRICON Garage’s Taylor Gray complete the top five finishers.
McAnally-Hilgemann’s Tyler Ankrum, TRICON Garage’s Corey Heim, McAnally-Hilgemann’s Daniel Dye, and reigning series champion, ThorSport Racing’s Ben Rhodes round out the top-nine finishers – all Playoff drivers. Three-time series champion Matt Crafton was tenth.
“I was leading on the bottom and it shot up the race track and just couldn’t recover, I was way too tight’’ said Eckes, who paced the field for much of the afternoon and collected a series-best ninth stage win.
The NASCAR Truck Series Point Standings
Eckes now holds a 16-point advantage over Majeski atop the Playoff standings. Heim is third, only 19 points back.
“Proud of everybody but a pretty big missed opportunity,’’ Eckes said.
The other two Playoff drivers, Grant Enfinger, driver of the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevy, finished 13th and Rajah Caruth, driver of the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevy rallied to an 18th place finish after starting from the rear of the grid.
With two more races remaining in this opening round and eight of the ten drivers advancing, Rhodes is two points behind Enfinger for that all-important eighth Playoff position and Caruth is only four points back.
Up Next
Round 2 of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season championship takes place Sept. 19 in a special Thursday night edition (8 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), from Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway where Heim is the defending race winner.