Layne Riggs captured a dramatic victory in the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday night, overcoming a first-lap spin to dominate the final stage and secure his third win of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. The Layne Riggs Bristol Truck Race win came amid a turbulent playoff round, shaking up the standings and intensifying the chase for the championship.
Riggs Rebounds From Early Trouble to Lead Late
The race began with high hopes for Riggs, but his night nearly unraveled immediately when he spun in front of the field on the opening lap. Despite that setback, Riggs steadily gained ground and ended stage two in a fierce fight for the lead with fellow playoff contender Corey Heim. Strategic pit stops at the start of the third stage altered the running order, with Riggs emerging at the front. He maintained his position from the restart, controlling every lap to claim an unlikely and hard-fought victory.
“You don’t get two mulligans in the playoffs and I have two,”
—Layne Riggs, Driver, FOX Sports 1
“I think this shows we are in contention, that we can do it. These guys don’t give up.”
—Layne Riggs, Driver, FOX Sports 1
Trailing Riggs at the finish, Ben Rhodes earned second place, while Heim held off Ty Majeski to secure third. Daniel Hemric rounded out the top five after surviving the chaos that consumed much of the field.
Playoff Drama and Battles Throughout the Pack
The race was marked by constant shuffling and mishaps for several key playoff drivers. Chandler Smith fell victim to fuel pump troubles early, with his issues compounding as the event progressed. Jake Garcia, after fending off Heim to clinch the first stage, encountered power steering problems that dashed his hopes of contending for the win beyond the second stage.
Further back, Tanner Gray implemented a successful pit strategy to rally into sixth place. The rest of the top ten included Connor Mosack, Andres Perez, Corey LaJoie, and Matt Crafton, each navigating the demanding conditions at Bristol.
On a night fraught with tension, Kaden Honeycutt and Tyler Ankrum made contact, ending both of their evenings prematurely. Honeycutt would settle for a 12th-place result, while Rajah Caruth slipped to 15th by the checkered flag. Grant Enfinger struggled throughout and crossed the line in 21st. Smith and Garcia’s ongoing troubles left them finishing 30th and 33rd, respectively, and both will head to New Hampshire below the playoff cut line with significant points deficits to make up.
Lead Changes and Key Rivalries Define the Night
Jake Garcia, who started from pole, lost the early advantage to Heim, but then reclaimed the lead by capitalizing on Heim’s struggles behind Greg Van Alst, winning the opening stage. After Garcia dropped out of contention, the spotlight turned to the championship favorites Heim and Riggs. Riggs’ recovery after his early spin allowed him to gather vital stage points and set up a showdown with Heim. Heim, meanwhile, put on a strong performance of his own, successfully holding off Riggs for over forty laps to earn another crucial stage victory.
The playoff picture remains volatile, with several contenders seeing their hopes endangered by setbacks at Bristol, making every point critical as the postseason continues.
Next Up in the Truck Series Playoffs
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs advance to New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 20, at 2 p.m. ET, broadcast on FS1. With Layne Riggs, Corey Heim, and Ben Rhodes atop the conversation after the Bristol showdown, and drivers like Chandler Smith and Jake Garcia now facing steep challenges, the championship battle is certain to intensify. Fans and teams alike will watch closely as the next decisive moments play out and the field adapts to ever-changing playoff dynamics.
