Layne Riggs saw his night come to an abrupt end after a dramatic crash at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, when a hard-fought contest in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series took an unexpected turn. The Front Row Motorsports driver, piloting the No. 34 Ford F-150, was locked in a tense battle just outside the top ten when contact in the tri-oval area resulted in a slide through the infield grass, sending his truck airborne and knocking him out of the race.
The incident unfolded as Layne Riggs and fellow competitor Luke Fenhaus fought for position. Rain throughout the day had left the Fort Worth, Texas grass soaked and treacherous, dramatically raising the stakes for any driver forced off the racing line. As Riggs explained,
I was inside of him pretty early off of [Turn 4]. I thought he would have had two or three seconds to get called inside. I know he was bringing me down to the grass, and I tried to turn up out of the grass as much as I could, but there was nothing I could do.
The wet grass quickly became a critical factor, grabbing hold of Layne Riggs’ machine and giving rise to further chaos. The impact tore the front-end off the truck and launched the Bahama, North Carolina native into the air. The severity of the damage left no choice but to end his run early, relegating the two-time NASCAR Truck Series winner to a disappointing 28th-place finish despite entering the evening fifth in points.
Meanwhile, Fenhaus also saw his race cut short after sustaining slight damage and losing power under the caution, resulting in a trip to the garage. NASCAR enforced its Damaged Vehicle Policy, ending the night for the rookie as well.
For Layne Riggs, the aftermath carries frustration and the sting of lost opportunity, given his strong points standing. The crash not only impacts his championship hopes but also highlights the unpredictable danger wet grass poses, especially during pivotal races. As the season continues, both Riggs and his team will need to regroup quickly, knowing every point counts in the fiercely competitive series.
