Layne Riggs seizes NASCAR Truck Collection victory at Pocono Raceway on Friday night within the Miller Tech Battery 200.
Layne Riggs capped top-of-the-line race weekends of his younger profession, claiming his first-ever pole place then main the ultimate 20 laps of Friday’s MillerTech Battery 200 to take his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Collection victory of the season within the opening race of a NASCAR tripleheader weekend at Pocono Raceway.
Layne Riggs Victory at Pocono
Riggs’ No. 34 Entrance Row Motorsports Ford beat TRICON Storage driver Tanner Grey to the checkered flag by a wholesome 3.64 seconds, delivering the younger star his third profession collection win.
Riggs had been quick all day and was working second to championship chief Corey Heim coming to a restart with 19 laps to go, solely to have Heim’s No. 11 Toyota endure a flat tire simply as the sphere was about to take the inexperienced flag.
Simply after Heim pulled off the monitor for a fast tire change, NASCAR Cup Collection driver and former Truck Collection common Carson Hocevar moved his No. 7 truck ahead and into the lead on the restart – however was handed a penalty for the transfer.
Riggs, because the second-place automotive, was the ‘management’ automotive when Heim pitted. – not Hocevar – and Riggs assumed the lead for good when Hocevar pitted with 18 laps remaining to serve the stop-and-go penalty for his restart violation.
“That’s only a testomony to this staff, that factor was dangerous quick, particularly that final run proper there,” stated Riggs, the 23-year-old son of former NASCAR Cup Collection standout Scott Riggs.
“I actually hate the 11 [Heim] fell out, and unsure what the seven [Hocevar] was doing on the restart there, however made certain to make the most of it.
“However, hey, I’m a cheerful man proper now. … This isn’t what I had circled. Final 12 months we wrecked in follow, didn’t qualify, and ran lifeless final all day. And right this moment we had been the very best. It’s wonderful.”
Corey Heim was Headed to a Repeat Victory
For a lot of the early race – earlier than the tire drawback – it appeared the season’s four-race winner, Heim, would basically flip in a repeat efficiency of his work a 12 months in the past on the 2.5-mile Pocono monitor when he swept each levels and gained the race. Heim led a race-best 48 of the 90 laps and set an all-time collection document, claiming his twelfth stage win.
Nonetheless, to his credit score, Riggs, who additionally took a stage win, saved Heim sincere all through the day. And that’s what put him able to capitalize.
Kaden Honeycutt, who was on the entrance row alongside Riggs, completed third within the No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet. Brandon Jones within the No. 1 TRICON Storage Toyota and former NASCAR Xfinity Collection champion Daniel Hemric within the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet rounded out the highest 5.
Rookie Connor Mosack, Riggs’ teammate Chandler Smith, Stewart Friesen, reigning collection champion Ty Majeski, and Rajah Caruth accomplished the highest ten.
Heim rallied to a Twenty third-place end and leads Riggs’ teammate, Chandler Smith, by 124 factors within the championship standings.
With the victory, Riggs claims the seventh Playoff place based mostly on race wins. Solely 4 extra regular-season races stay to determine which ten drivers will compete for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Collection championship.
Up Nexxt
The collection heads to the historic Lime Rock Park highway course in Connecticut for subsequent Saturday’s inaugural LIUNA 150. The race begins at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
