Layne Riggs Stuns Racing World at St. Pete

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Layne Riggs turned the streets of St. Pete into his personal playground Saturday afternoon.

The 23-year-old driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford muscled his way to victory in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on the downtown street circuit, capturing his first win of the 2026 season and the sixth of his Truck Series career. Riggs held off Ty Majeski over the closing laps to win by 0.879 seconds after 80 grueling laps on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary course.

On a day where brakes glowed and tempers simmered, Riggs stayed cool.

Majeski finished second after briefly threatening for the lead in the final laps but locking up under braking in Turn 14, which allowed Riggs to maintain track position. Ben Rhodes, who dominated early, completed the podium in third.

Rhodes set the tone by winning Stage 1 and leading 23 laps, showcasing early speed for ThorSport Racing. But the race flipped in Stage 2, when Riggs surged forward and ultimately led a race-high 40 laps — half the event — to seize control.

The win is significant beyond the trophy. Riggs entered the weekend looking to rebound after inconsistent results to start the year, including a 27th-place finish at Atlanta. Saturday’s victory vaults him firmly back into the championship conversation and gives Front Row Motorsports a statement road course triumph in the inaugural Truck Series event at St. Petersburg.

The 36-truck field battled through multiple cautions, tight concrete walls and unforgiving runoff zones in the series’ first appearance on the famed IndyCar street circuit. Track position proved critical, pit strategy mattered and wheel-hop was not a friend to many.

Riggs made it look measured.

Behind the top three, Daytona winner Chandler Smith finished fourth, while Kaden Honeycutt rounded out the top five. The race featured heavy braking zones, tight hairpins and plenty of contact — exactly what you expect when stock trucks meet a street course lined with palm trees and no margin for error.