Layne Riggs captured the checkered flag within the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection’ first avenue course race, profitable at St. Petersburg as a part of IndyCar’s opening weekend.
Riggs needed to maintain off Ben Rhodes after which Ty Majeski within the ultimate laps, whereas additionally worrying about how a lot gasoline he had within the tank for his #34 Entrance Row Motorsports Ford.
“Very first thing I’ll say, thanks to Joey Hand,” stated Riggs in Victory Lane. “I do know he is watching at house. A street course man — he is the person. He helped me a lot. We have been engaged on this racetrack within the simulator at Ford Racing since December. I actually, actually needed to get my first win on a street course. The brief monitor man from Bahama, North Carolina, gained at St. Pete, are you able to imagine it? I’ve actually been attempting to good my craft. I really feel like I have been shut within the street programs. Only a massive shout out to everyone at Entrance Row Motorsports … I actually stated, ‘I simply need to win a street course, simply to indicate I am not simply that brief monitor man’.”
Riggs appeared to have loads of gasoline for post-race burnouts, however he was shaking the truck all through the ultimate lap. He had this to say bout the gasoline state of affairs: “It sputtered with about to eight to go. The pickup on these vans are on the left aspect, so each time that I’d flip to the left, the gasoline would slosh away. So the entire time I used to be simply attempting to get it to go. Not figuring out, attempting to handle your hole. Thanks to Ben [Rhodes] and Ty [Majeski]. They ran me fairly clear. I do know that final nook, Ty most likely may have cleaned me out if he needed to. We have been so shut there. What an superior feeling.”
Majeski completed second, Rhodes third, Chandler Smith fourth, and Kaden Honeycutt fifth. Landen Lewis, Andrés Pérez, Daniel Hemric, Colin Braun, and James Hinchcliffe stuffed out the rest of the highest ten.
Stage 1
Observe view
Picture by: David Jensen / Getty Photographs
It was a clear opening lap with Connor Mosack main the best way. The primary warning got here quickly after although, as Justin Haley spun off the nostril of Stewart Friesen and could not get again rolling.
Rhodes took the lead on the restart, however Mosack remained shut all through many of the stage.
Behind them, Dario Franchitti wheel-hopped into Flip 1 and door-slammed Hinchcliffe, inflicting some fender injury to Hinch’s journey, however each drivers averted an precise crash.
Later, Tanner Grey spun into the tire pack, however bought again rolling with out the necessity for a yellow.
Rhodes went on to win the stage forward of Mosack, Lewis, C. Smith, Ruggiero, Franchitti, Riggs, Ankrum, Honeycutt, and Perez.
Stage 2
Rhodes held the lead on the restart, whereas Mosack struggled to maintain tempo after selecting to not take recent tires in non-competitive pit stops in the course of the stage break. He bought shuffled again a number of positions with C. Smith taking second.
The warning flew as Adam Andretti crashed because of contact, involving Christian Eckes and one other truck. The workforce went to work, taking a sledge-hammer to the again of Andretti’s truck as Uncle Mario appeared on from the pit field.
On the restart, the sector fanned out three-wide for the lead with the FRM vans surging by means of. Smith took the lead, however teammate Riggs challenged him within the closing laps of the stage. He made a daring transfer to the within, battling for a number of corners with Riggs in the end prevailing.
Hinchcliffe made his manner as much as seventh earlier than falling by means of the sector after lacking a nook. Frankie Muniz additionally went to pit street with a difficulty, costing him a number of laps.
Riggs went on to win the stage over Smith, Lewis, Majeski, Rhodes, Ruggiero, Ankrum, Francitti, Enfinger, and Perez.
Stage 3
Riggs held the lead on the restart whereas Majeski shifting up into second, splitting the FRM teammates.
Again within the area, it was plenty of contact all through the run as drivers muscled one another out of the best way. Some notable moments included when Lewis threw a block on Ankrum, who sustained massive fender injury as he hit the again of Lewis’ truck. Cole Butcher and Kris Wright went for single-truck spins in Flip 1, whereas a stalled Derek White is what lastly triggered a warning flag.
Within the subsequent restart, Ruggiero spun from sixth place whereas Hinchcliffe went for a spin again in twentieth. Nathan Nicholson and Mini Tyrrell additionally slammed the wall on the restart, inflicting main injury to the right-front of each vans. Nonetheless, the warning solely flew for White as he as soon as once more stalled on monitor.
Majeski bought the lead on the restart, however it was short-lived as he ran vast within the ultimate nook, touching the tire pack and tearing by means of the grass. He rejoined in sixth place.
Franchitti, who was operating inside the highest ten all day, made an unscheduled pit cease with a steering problem.
Regardless of operating off the course, Majeski rapidly marched again by means of the highest 5. Rhodes closed in as Riggs navigated slower visitors, and nearly bought alongside. Majeski then bought his flip, passing Rhodes and getting proper to Riggs’ again bumper on the ultimate lap.
For Riggs, that is his sixth win within the Truck Collection, and his first on a street/avenue course.
We wish your opinion!
What would you wish to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
– The Motorsport.com Crew
