Layne Riggs Goes Back-to-Back at Bristol

Layne Riggs in Victory Lane celebrating after winning the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)

BRISTOL, Tenn. — After missing out on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs, rookie Layne Riggs has embraced being a spoiler after winning at Bristol to earn back-to-back victories to start the postseason.

“Oh, my gosh, we’ve just learned so much with the trucks,” said Riggs. “To be running fifth, 10th and all of a sudden, to go back-to-back in the playoffs, I wish I was in the playoffs so bad. I think we’d (his No. 38 team) be a real threat to win the championship.”

In a similar fashion to his Milwaukee victory, Riggs took the lead away late, this time from Corey Heim on Lap 121 and never gave it back. This is now the fourth straight top-five for the No. 38 team and has catapulted them up into 11th place in the points standings.

Heim, who finished in second after a spirited battle with fellow playoff driver, Rajah Caruth, coming to the checkered wasn’t able to score the win but did advance to the Round of 8 based on points.

Layne Riggs doing a burnout with his No. 38 team standing on the pit wall watching after winning the UNOH 200. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)

“Every time we got a heat cycle on the tires, it seemed like we got tighter and tighter,” Heim said. “Just didn’t quite have it, but solid points day in the playoffs, that’s what you need, so I will keep moving forward.”

It was a big day for Caruth, who entered the race in the 10th position on the playoff grid. On top of the third-place finish, Caruth won Stage 1 and tallied 18 total stage points to jump up to fifth in the standings heading into the cutoff race at Kansas.

“We executed the race, just two spots short,” Caruth said. “Man, I wish that was us (his No.71 team),” Caruth added after seeing Riggs celebrate.

Layne Riggs team celebrating on pit road after winning at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)

Christian Eckes and Nick Sanchez both also advanced to the Round of 8 on points with fourth and fifth-place finishes respectively. Finishing in 27th place was defending champion Ben Rhodes, who now sees himself 1oth in the standing, 12 points out heading with one race to go in the Round of 10.

Two rising prospects in the Chevrolet pipeline also went head-to-head during the UNOH 200, Connor Zilisch and Corey Day. After winning the pole, Zilisch had a rough day, getting involved in an incident and finishing in 19th while Day had a quiet 18th-place run.

Playoff Standings (Race 2/3 in the Round of 10)

1. Christian Eckes (ADVANCED)
2. Corey Heim (ADVANCED)
3. Nick Sanchez (ADVANCED)
4. Ty Majeski (+58)
5. Rajah Caruth (+35)
6. Tyler Ankrum (+25)
7. Taylor Gray (+23)
8. Grant Enfinger (+7)
9. Daniel Dye (-7)
10. Ben Rhodes (-12)

Stage 1 Top 10 Results

1. Rajah Caruth
2. Corey Heim
3. Christian Eckes
4. Connor Zilisch
5. Nick Sanchez
6. Stewart Friesen
7. William Sawalich
8. Layne Riggs
9. Chase Purdy
10. Daniel Dye

Stage 2 Top 10 Results

1. Corey Heim
2. Christian Eckes
3. Rajah Caruth
4. Layne Riggs
5. Nich Sanchez
6. Stewart Friesen
7. William Sawalich
8. Matt Crafton
9. Dean Thompson
10. Chase Purdy

UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway Finishing Results