Truck Series: Riggs dominates proceedings in Bristol despite first-lap spin

Written by Sean McKean

Credit: Alejandro Alvarez / NASCAR Digital Media

After a Lap 1 spin that sent him all the way to 36th, Layne Riggs still drove through the field Thursday night to take a dominant victory in Bristol, Tennessee.

It was Riggs’ third victory of the season and fifth of his career.

As it unfolded

From his first career Bristol pole, Jake Garcia led the field away at the start, but before either Garcia or Corey Heim could clear one another, Layne Riggs went for a spin in Turn 3. He didn’t hit anything, but the spin brought out the caution.

Heim led the way on the Lap 7 restart and decisively took the lead. 

Chandler Smith reported electrical issues on Lap 28, and it culminated in him and the team going behind the wall four laps later. This further compounded his points hole after an early crash in the playoff opener in Darlington.

Whilst trying to navigate lapped traffic ahead, Heim lost the lead to Garcia with eight laps remaining in the stage.

Garcia held on for his first career stage win. Heim and Kaden Honeycutt followed behind.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 13 - Jake Garcia (ThorSport Racing) [Playoffs]

2. No. 11 - Corey Heim (TRICON Garage) [Playoffs]

3. No. 52 - Kaden Honeycutt (Halmar Friesen Racing) [Playoffs]

4. No. 18 - Tyler Ankrum (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) [Playoffs]

5. No. 98 - Ty Majeski (ThorSport Racing) [Playoffs]

6. No. 71 - Rajah Caruth (Spire Motorsports) [Playoffs]

7. No. 7 - Corey Day (Spire Motorsports)

8. No. 17 - Gio Ruggiero (TRICON Garage)

9. No. 34 - Layne Riggs (Front Row Motorsports) [Playoffs]

10. No. 45 - Bayley Currey (Niece Motorsports)

Most drivers pitted for new tyres, but eight drivers – most notably Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum – stayed out.

Heim led once again on Lap 77. 

Shortly after the restart, Jake Garcia lost power steering. Despite leading on his strategy, he had to pull behind the wall. 

Another issue for a playoff contender struck on Lap 90. Coming off Turn 4 and into 1, Kaden Honeycutt carried high momentum and refused to lift, causing him to clip Tyler Ankrum into a spin. Ankrum suffered light damage but drove away. 

Most drivers who didn’t pit the previous cycle came down pit lane this time. 

Heim led the way once more on Lap 96. 

Within eight laps, the previously spun Layne Riggs began hounding Heim for the lead of the race. 

With his valiant defense, Heim hung on to win the second stage of the night. Riggs followed close behind after his unrelenting pressure followed by Ty Majeski.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 11 - Corey Heim (TRICON Garage) [Playoffs]

2. No. 34 - Layne Riggs (Front Row Motorsports) [Playoffs]

3. No. 98 - Ty Majeski (ThorSport Racing) [Playoffs]

4. No. 52 - Kaden Honeycutt (Halmar Friesen Racing) [Playoffs]

5. No. 99 - Ben Rhodes (ThorSport Racing)

6. No. 17 - Gio Ruggiero (TRICON Garage)

7. No. 81 - Connor Mosack (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

8. No. 19 - Daniel Hemric (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) [Playoffs]

9. No. 7 - Corey Day (Spire Motorsports)

10. No. 44 - Andres Perez de Lara (Niece Motorsports)

Everyone came down pit road for new tyres. Riggs came out first followed by Tanner Gray and Majeski.

As the only driver to stay out, Cole Butcher led the way with 109 laps remaining, but Riggs quickly made his way through on the outside. 

Although Ben Rhodes briefly pressured early in the run, Riggs led the remaining laps to take a decisive victory in Bristol.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 34 - Layne Riggs (Front Row Motorsports) [Playoffs]

2. No. 99 - Ben Rhodes (ThorSport Racing)

3. No. 11 - Corey Heim (TRICON Garage) [Playoffs]

4. No. 98 - Ty Majeski (ThorSport Racing) [Playoffs]

5. No. 19 - Daniel Hemric (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) [Playoffs]

6. No. 15 - Tanner Gray (TRICON Garage)

7. No. 81 - Connor Mosack (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

8. No. 44 - Andres Perez de Lara (Niece Motorsports)

9. No. 45 - Bayley Currey (Niece Motorsports)

10. No. 77 - Corey Lajoie (Spire Motorsports)

11. No. 88 - Matt Crafton (ThorSport Racing)

12. No. 7 - Corey Day (Spire Motorsports)

13. No. 52 - Kaden Honeycutt (Halmar Friesen Racing) [Playoffs]

14. No. 17 - Gio Ruggiero (TRICON Garage)

15. No. 75 - Parker Kligerman (Henderson Motorsports) +1 lap

16. No. 71 - Rajah Caruth (Spire Motorsports) +1 lap [Playoffs]

17. No. 42 - Matt Mills (Niece Motorsports) +1 lap

18. No. 26 - Dawson Sutton (Rackley WAR) +1 lap

19. No. 41 - Conner Jones (Niece Motorsports) +1 lap

20. No. 18 - Tyler Ankrum (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) +1 lap [Playoffs]

21. No. 9 - Grant Enfinger (CR7 Motorsports) +1 lap [Playoffs]

22. No. 91 - Jack Wood (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) +1 lap

23. No. 62 - Cole Butcher (Halmar Friesen Racing) +2 laps

24. No. 1 - Brent Crews (TRICON Garage) +3 laps

25. No. 20 - Stefan Parsons (Young’s Motorsports) +5 laps

26. No. 5 - Toni Breidinger (TRICON Garage) +7 laps

27. No. 76 - Spencer Boyd (Freedom Racing Enterprises) +8 laps

28. No. 22 - Josh Reaume (Reaume Brothers Racing) +9 laps

29. No. 35 - Greg Van Alst (Greg Van Alst Motorsports) +10 laps

30. No. 38 - Chandler Smith (Front Row Motorsports) +14 laps [Playoffs]

31. No. 33 - Mason Maggio (Reaume Brothers Racing) +18 laps

32. No. 02 - Treyten Lapcevich (Young’s Motorsports) [DNF]

33. No. 13 - Jake Garcia (ThorSport Racing) [DNF] [Playoffs] [FL]

34. No. 6 - Norm Benning (Norm Benning Racing) [DNF]

35. No. 74 - Caleb Costner (Mike Harmon Racing) [DNF]

36. No. 2 - Clayton Green (Reaume Brothers Racing) [DNF]

After a quiet affair in Bristol, the playoff picture looks as follows prior to the final Round of 10 race in New Hampshire:

Provisional Playoff Picture:

1. No. 11 - Corey Heim: [1 WIN; ADVANCED] 

2. No. 34 - Layne Riggs: [1 WIN; ADVANCED]

3. No. 19 - Daniel Hemric: +51

4. No. 98 - Ty Majeski: +46

5. No. 9 - Grant Enfinger: +29

6. No. 18 - Tyler Ankrum: +29

7. No. 52 - Kaden Honeycutt: +18

8. No. 71 - Rajah Caruth: +14

PLAYOFF CUT-LINE

9. No. 13 - Jake Garcia: -14

10. No. 38 - Chandler Smith: -24