Layne Riggs Wins Truck Series Race in Thrilling Overtime Finish

Carol D'Agostino for Skirts and Scuffs

After much anticipation, NASCAR's San Diego Race Weekend got underway with the Craftsman Truck Series Navy 250. Remarkably, the first three spots on the grid were occupied by the top three drivers in the standings with Kaden Honeycutt securing the pole position. Layne Riggs started on the outside pole, and Chandler Smith started third.

Spoiling the regular Truck Series party was seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. Johnson gained a spot in the opening laps and was strong throughout the opening stage, but Riggs took the Stage 1 win.

At lap 17 of Stage 2, Johnson took the lead from Honeycutt after he had a brake lockup, and Johnson held it for another two laps until pitting, turning the lead over to Smith.

In the closing laps of Stage 2, Jamie McMurray hit the wall exiting Turn 16, a challenging turn for many of the drivers. Parker Kligerman won Stage 2, followed by Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Tyler Ankrum and Andres Perez De Lara.

At the opening of the closing stage, it was Honeycutt, Smith, and Johnson, leading the field, with Daniel Hemric in fourth and Layne Riggs running fifth. Honeycutt lost the lead after hitting the wall, forfeiting the lead to Smith.

A caution for debris at Lap 33 of Stage 3 left questions about whether the leading trucks had enough fuel to finish the race, bringing many lead trucks to pit road, including Smith and Johnson. Riggs led the field at the restart with Hemric and Majeski challenging him.

With five laps to go, it looked like the win would go to Smith, but Honeycutt wasn’t going to make it easy. The caution came out when Ankrum hit the wall hard, moving the jersey barrier and red flagging the race.

At the overtime restart, Smith led with Honeycutt on the inside. Honeycutt cleared for the lead in Turn 1, but Smith spun off Turn 1 and hit the wall. In the closing laps, it looked like 19-year-old Tyler Reif would win despite a major tire rub. Reif ultimately overshot the chicane, and had to serve the penalty, allowing Riggs to take the lead. Riggs beat Hemric by 1.332 seconds, and Reif ultimately finished 19th.

This is Riggs’ second road course win this season, and he referred to that in his frontstretch interview.

“Layne van Risberger came to play today, man,” Riggs said. “We’re undefeated in street course races—much respect, Shane. I hope I can be as good as you one day, man. I’m going to take all my glory here in the truck series. 

“I don’t even know what happened at the end—sparks flying, people wrecking, staying in the throttle. I was running out of fuel the entire last lap. It was like St. Pete all over again (an earlier Riggs victory this season in an inaugural street race).”

The win is Riggs’ fourth of the season. With his Stage 1 win, he has increased his series lead to 65 points over Honeycutt. Smith trails by 128 points in third place with five events left in the Truck Series regular season.

Carol D'Agostino for Skirts and Scuffs