Layne Riggs came agonizingly close to winning Friday's Black's Tire 200 at Martinsville Speedway, ultimately finishing third after dominating the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. The Front Row Motorsports driver started second, led a race-high 156 laps and swept both stages before losing the lead on the final restart.
Riggs immediately established himself as the strongest competitor, passing polesitter Tristan McKee on the opening lap. He built substantial advantages throughout the first two stages, securing 20 additional championship points.
The No. 34 Ford continued dominating during the final stage despite numerous caution periods. Riggs repeatedly defended his position against McKee and teammate Chandler Smith, appearing poised to secure
his eighth victory of the season.
However, his opportunity disappeared with 12 laps remaining when Smith restarted alongside him. Riggs struggled with a loose handling condition, allowing Smith and Ben Rhodes to move ahead before the finish.
Despite missing the victory, Riggs collected 55 points and significantly improved his championship position. He remains second with 2,383 points, reducing his deficit to Kaden Honeycutt from 43 to just 20 markers. Riggs will enter the season finale at Homestead-Miami with an opportunity to capture his first career Truck Series championship.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Layne Riggs' race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Martinsville
