For drivers competing at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend, here’s a helpful tip: avoid the infield grass.
Layne Riggs, driver of the No. 34 Ford F-150 for Front Row Motorsports, spent the opening portion of Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event battling for the lead, but is now out of the race after a trip through the infield grass.
The Aaron’s-sponsored machine was battling just outside the top-10 at the time of the incident, when contact with Luke Fenhaus through the tri-oval sent the No. 34 for a spin.
Layne Riggs is done for the night after this slide through (and into) the wet grass in Texas. #NASCARonFS1 pic.twitter.com/vKDH1D40zL
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 3, 2025
On a normal race weekend, that spin through the grass likely wouldn’t be an issue, but with the significant amount of precipitation in the Fort Worth, Texas-area on Friday, the grass is wet, and ready to grab ahold of anything it can.
“I was inside of him pretty early off of [Turn 4]. I thought he would have had two or three seconds to get called inside,” said Riggs. “I know he was bringing me down to the grass, and I tried to turn up out of the grass as much as I could, but there was nothing I could do.”
Unfortunately, the wet grass took hold of the front-end of Riggs’ truck and tore the front-end off, while also allowing the Bahama, North Carolina-native to catch some air in the process.
The incident ultimately finished the evening for Riggs, relegating the two-time NASCAR Truck Series winner to a 28th-place finish. Riggs entered the evening inside the top-five in points, sitting fifth.
Fenhaus, although getting the slightest of damage on this ThorSport Racing Ford F-150, lost power under the caution and coasted back to the garage. NASCAR determined that violated the Damaged Vehicle Policy and ended the night for the rookie driver.
