Layne Riggs, the 2022 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (NAAWS) champion, will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Riggs, a part-time driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and CARS Late Model Tour, will drive the No. 11 Infinity Communications Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing in three Xfinity Series events, starting at the 1.5-mile facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
In an exclusive interview with Racing America, the 21-year-old driver discloses that he will return to the seat of the No. 11 Chevrolet in two more Xfinity Series events in 2023 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (October 14), and the penultimate event of the season at Martinsville Speedway (October 28).
At the age of 20, Riggs became the youngest champion of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series in 2022, winning 16 races and scoring 30 top-five finishes in 43 starts across races at Dominion Raceway, Hickory Motor Speedway, Motor Mile Speedway, South Boston Speedway, and Wake County Speedway.
“I’m so excited to be making my first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Texas Motor Speedway with a team that has had so much success in the Xfinity Series,” said Riggs. “Additionally, I am super thankful to Jeff Coffey at Infinity Communications along with the whole Kaulig Racing organization for giving me this opportunity. I am so ready to get on track.”
While Saturday’s 300-mile contest at Texas Motor Speedway will mark the first start for Riggs in the Xfinity Series, the Bahama, North Carolina native has made six starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, picking up a career-best third-place result at Indianapolis Raceway Park for Spire Motorsports.
“I’ve been watching Layne [Riggs] on the short-track circuit for a couple of years now and am impressed at what he has earned so far in his young career,” said Chris Rice, president of Kaulig Racing. “He’s had a couple of starts in the Truck Series and I look forward to seeing what he can do in one of our cars. Infinity Communications has been a huge supporter of Layne’s career so far, so I’m happy that he is able to bring them along for the ride.”
This season, Kaulig Racing has had a rotation of drivers in its All-Star Car, which has been piloted by drivers like AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Justin Haley, and Jordan Taylor, as well as up-and-coming drivers like Derek Kraus.
Riggs will be the 11th different driver to pilot Kaulig’s All-Star Car – which was originally the No. 10 before the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs and is now utilizing the No. 11.
