Ten drivers entered Sunday’s Craftsman Truck Series race at the Milwaukee Mile with a chance to punch their ticket into the Round of 8 in the Playoffs.
Instead, Layne Riggs spoiled the party and took home the victory in the LiUNA! 175, his first career victory in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in his 23rd start. It’s also the first win for Front Row Motorsports in the series since Circuit of The Americas (COTA) last season with Zane Smith.
Riggs led a race-high 53 laps, giving Ford Performance its third consecutive win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, after not winning once in the opening 15 events of the year.
The Bahama, North Carolina-native perhaps celebrated a tad too hard, as he dislocated his shoulder while fist pumping on the roof of his truck. The No. 38 crew had to help Riggs onto the ground and pop his shoulder back into place before continuing their celebration. Despite the pain, Riggs exclaimed in his interview, “It was worth it”.
"I dislocated my shoulder, I was celebrating so hard." @LayneRiggs99 will remember his first win for multiple reasons now. ? pic.twitter.com/ASKmxs8YRf
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) August 25, 2024
Riggs and his father Scott also became the second father-son duo to win a Craftsman Truck Series race, joining Brad and Bob Keselowski.
Ty Majeski finished in the runner-up spot in his No. 98 Ford. After two straight victories to end the regular season, Majeski’s momentum continued into the playoffs, putting him firmly above the cut line. Regular season champion Christian Eckes came home third in his No. 19 Chevrolet. Eckes led 71 laps, the most of any driver, and was the stage two winner.
Daytona winner Nick Sanchez finished fourth, with fellow playoff driver Taylor Gray rounding out the top five. Tyler Ankrum, Corey Heim, Daniel Dye, Ben Rhodes, and Matt Crafton completed the top 10, with non-playoff drivers bookending the first ten finishers.
RELATED: LiUNA! 175 at Milwaukee Results
Majeski and Tanner Gray led the field to the green to begin the Truck Series playoffs. Despite the strong qualifying run, Gray did not have a strong start to the race, as he found himself outside the top five by the end of lap ten. On lap 13, Bayley Currey’s No. 41 cut a left front tire after contact with Taylor Gray, forcing Currey to pit and lose multiple laps.
Majeski led the first 42 laps of the race before regular season champion Christian Eckes worked his way around the No. 98 to take the top spot. The first caution would come out not long after. On lap 49, Jayson Alexander, making his Truck Series debut, got loose in the middle of turn 3 and made significant contact with the outside wall. The damage forced Alexander to take his truck to the garage, leaving him with a last-place finish in his first start.
Most teams elected to make pit stops before the end of stage one, but Ty Dillon and Jake Garcia decided to stay out. The stage ended under caution, giving Dillon his first career stage win in the Truck Series and his first stage win in any series since the Cup Series event at the Charlotte Roval in 2020. The stage win is also the first for Rackley W.A.R. in their fourth season of Truck Series competition. Dillon and Garcia came down pit road after the conclusion of the stage, handing the lead back to Majeski and Eckes.
The restart was delayed by a lap due to Dexter Bean stalling on the frontstretch, but his truck was refired and the race resumed. Eckes quickly took control of the lead, with Layne Riggs passing Majeski for the runner-up spot. Riggs would eventually relinquish the spot back to Majeski, but Eckes maintained a sizeable gap over both drivers en route to taking the stage two win, his sixth stage victory in the last five races.
Eckes and Riggs led the field through the gears to begin stage three, but Majeski got by both of them within one lap. Further back, Matt Mills got into the wall but he was able to keep his No. 42 Chevrolet going and the race stayed green. Majeski did not keep the lead for long, as Riggs passed him a few laps later to take the lead for the first time in the race.
Despite a valiant effort from Majeski and Eckes, Riggs was able to lead the final 53 laps of the race on his way to his first career Truck Series victory. The win is also the first for Ford in the series at the Milwaukee Mile since Terry Cook won for K-Automotive Motorsports in 2002.
Leaving Milwaukee, Grant Enfinger holds the eighth and final spot in the second round of the Truck Series playoffs. Defending series champion Ben Rhodes sits two points behind Enfinger and Rajah Caruth is four points behind the driver of the No. 9.
The next Craftsman Truck Series race will take place at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday, September 19, and will be broadcast on FS1.
