By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Layne Riggs is going for a third consecutive win in the Craftsman Truck Series this weekend at Kansas Speedway.
It’s a mark rarely achieved by a rookie driver in any national series, and reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney isn’t shocked to see the young Riggs up for the feat.
“I’ve liked watching Layne’s career from late models and now the Trucks,” Blaney said. “I’m really happy for him, I’m excited to see the progression of his career. I think he’s a great kid, I’ve talked to him a good bit.”
With just six Truck Series starts to his name prior to 2024, Riggs has had a lot to prove. The team that signed him, Front Row Motorsports, was coming off their best success in history with Zane Smith, who scored the Truck championship in 2022 and won six races from 2022 to 2023.
Riggs, 22, started the season with only one top-10 finish — a 10th place — in the opening nine rounds. This put the rookie in a deep points hole to overcome in hopes of keeping Front Row in the championship conversation by August.
And though a playoff spot on points was gone, Riggs brought the heat in the last half of the summer. A fifth-place finish at Lucas Oil Raceway in mid-July was backed up with another fifth at Richmond — the first back-to-back top 10s in his career.
Short tracks seemed to be figured out by the North Carolina native. The next bright spot became blinding light at the Milwaukee Mile, the opening round of the playoffs, where Riggs played spoiler and scored his first race win after leading 53 laps.
He backed that up with a second straight victory last week at Bristol Motor Speedway, stretching a late lead over championship contenders.
Blaney has recognized this sudden surge of speed by Riggs.
“Before the last couple races, I thought he ran pretty well and was getting his footing,” he said. “But now the last two races, he’s been the best truck by a mile. And a really good driver in executing those races.
“It’s nice to see good guys like that get chances and breaks and then perform. He’s a good kid and comes from a good family.”
That family includes Layne’s father Scott, who ran the Truck Series in 2001, winning five races. Later, he would compete against Blaney’s father Dave in the Xfinity and Cup Series.
Growing up in a racing family, Blaney understands the coming-up process that Riggs has experienced at a young age.
“Obviously, my dad and Scott raced together for a long time. I grew up knowing Scott a little bit,” he said. “I don’t think they were close but they respected each other. My dad always spoke really well of Scott. He and my dad have very similar personalities, they really got along well with each other at the race track.”
Riggs’ career thus far harkens back to Blaney’s time in the Truck Series where he scored his first win in 2012 and eventually contended for the series title by 2014.
Following 2014, Blaney was promoted to full-time Cup in 2016 after running part-time in all three national series in 2015.
Blaney is curious and cautious to see where Riggs’ career goes from here.
“I think it’s important to not move up too quickly,” he said. “One, it will hurt your confidence as a driver. You go from being really successful in one series to maybe you get your butt whipped for a little. And it’s like, ‘Man, I don’t know if I can do this with the next level.’
“There is a fine line there. I got pretty fortunate in my career. The first couple years I drove Trucks for Brad [Keselowski], I was also able to get 10 or so Xfinity starts for Penske. Even though I never did a full Xfinity deal, it still let me get that experience.
“I don’t know what the next step for him is but I hope it keeps moving forward.”