Layne Riggs earned a dramatic win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, celebrating his first victory of the 2026 season on the new St. Petersburg street course. The Layne Riggs Truck Series victory saw the Front Row Motorsports driver outpace Ty Majeski and Ben Rhodes in a memorable Central Florida showdown on Saturday.
Riggs Breaks Through With Impressive Performance
Riggs, originally from Bahama, North Carolina, completed 40 laps at the front, marking his sixth career triumph in the series. This latest success moved him ahead of his father, Scott Riggs, in all-time Truck Series wins. As the race neared its conclusion, careful fuel management became vital, but Riggs maintained his edge, ultimately crossing the finish line 0.879 seconds ahead of Majeski.
Top Finishers Define the Podium
Ty Majeski secured a strong second-place result, while Ben Rhodes, who claimed Stage 1 and led 23 laps, finished third. Daytona winner Chandler Smith placed fourth, followed by Kaden Honeycutt in fifth position. Additional notable performances included Landen Lewis, Andrés Pérez, Daniel Hemric, IMSA sports car expert Colin Braun, and veteran driver James Hinchcliffe, all of whom finished inside the top ten.
Franchitti Faces Challenges in St. Pete
Former IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti looked poised for a positive result, spending most of the contest inside the top ten. However, an unplanned pit stop with 14 laps remaining dropped him to 27th place by the race’s conclusion.
Race Marked by Multiple Cautions
Throughout the event, six caution periods paused the race for a total of 17 laps, adding to the drama on the St. Petersburg course and challenging the drivers’ strategies and resilience.
Upcoming Schedule and Anticipation for Darlington
Following the excitement of St. Petersburg, the Truck Series now enters its first two restful weekends of the season. Competition resumes on March 20 at Darlington Raceway, with the race scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, broadcast on FS1, and covered live by the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Layne Riggs’ recent achievement highlights both his driving skill and the competitive landscape of the series, as anticipation builds for the next round at Darlington and the remainder of the season.
