NASCAR Driver Shares Heartwarming Message About First Win

Layne Riggs recently earned his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory on Aug. 25, 2024, at the historic Milwaukee Mile. The win marks a milestone in the 22-year-old’s promising career, driving the No. 38 Ford F-150 for Front Row Motorsports. Riggs, the son of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Scott Riggs, has spent his life chasing this moment, finally achieving it in his rookie year.

Speaking to the media after the race, Riggs said, as reported by Yard Barker:

“It’s pretty crazy that it happened in my rookie season, considering what we had to go through at the beginning of the year. Having really tough races, a lot of bad luck, mechanical failures, crashes… to come back and get a fifth place, a fifth place and a win really means a lot.”

The emotional impact of that first victory was evident as Riggs crossed the finish line.

“I crossed the finish line, I couldn’t even see the track. I was crying in my helmet. So many years of effort and work just to be able to race in the Truck Series, let alone win… it’s like your childhood dreams and desires are finally coming true. There’s nothing to describe it.”

To add to the memorable event, Layne’s father, Scott Riggs, made a last-minute decision to attend the race.

“He was 50-50 to go to the race,” Riggs said. “He said, ‘I might not go this weekend.’ I’m really glad he made the decision to come to the track. I couldn’t have imagined it if he hadn’t been there. I think he only missed three races in my career. It was great to have him around.”

The win is particularly notable given the makeup of Riggs’ team. Following the departure of Zane Smith at the end of the previous season, Riggs inherited a crew full of young rookies.

“I didn’t have the perfect team. A lot of people said the truck had already won the championship and expected us to win races right out of the gate. It was kind of a new race team. We’re all rookies.”

Speaking to the media directly after the race, Riggs explained, as quoted by NASCAR.com:

“I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s awesome.”

“We had a terrible year. It was a horrible year, but I learned a lot in my rookie season. After the start, I thought there was no way we were going to win, that we were going to do our best and learn for next year. But I knew in practice, this thing (today) was awesome.”