By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service
For the second-straight day, a second-generation rising NASCAR racing star earned his first-career win. This time it was 22-year-old Layne Riggs claiming the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory in Sunday’s Playoff-opening LiUNAI 175! at the historic Milwaukee Mile.
Riggs, son of former NASCAR competitor Scott Riggs, took the lead from Ty Majeski with 53 laps remaining and pulled away to a solid 1.547-second victory over the Wisconsin native and a super-motivated group of Playoff drivers, making the rookie driver’s effort all the more impressive.
Riggs victory in the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford comes a day after 23-year-old Harrison Burton – son of former NASCAR star Jeff Burton – earned his first-career win in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
“I don’t even know how to describe it,’’ said an emotional Riggs, making only his 23rd start in the series, saying he knew in practice his truck was going to be in contention. “It’s awesome.’
“We’ve had a terrible year, it’s been an awful year, but I’ve learned so much though in my rookie season. After the start I thought there’s no way we’re going to get a win, we’ll do the best we can and just learn for next year. But I knew in practice this thing [today] was awesome.’’
Riggs was so happy and demonstrative that he dislocated his shoulder pumping his arms high in celebration – his team rushed over to help. And it certainly appeared Riggs was okay by the time he hugged his father trackside.
“Dislocated my shoulder I was celebrating so hard, but it was worth it,’’ Riggs said smiling.
Eight of the 10 Playoff drivers finished just behind Riggs, including Majeski, the defending race winner and polesitter who led 45 of the 175 laps in the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes was third – leading a race high 71 laps in his No. 19 Chevrolet. REV Racing’s Nick Sanchez and TRICON Garage’s Taylor Gray rounded out the top-five.
McAnally-Hilgemann’s Tyler Ankrum, TRICON Garage’s Corey Heim, McAnally-Hilgemann’s Daniel Dye and reigning series champion, ThorSport Racing’s Ben Rhodes rounded out the top-nine finishers – all Playoff drivers. Three-time series champion Matt Crafton was 10th.
“I was leading on the bottom and it shot up the race track and just couldn’t recover, I was way too tight’’ said Eckes, who paced…
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