Layne Riggs finishes runner-up at North Wilkesboro, extends NASCAR Truck Series points lead

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points leader Layne Riggs has been the series' dominant driver for much of the summer, but his Front Row Motorsports teammate in Chandler Smith stole the show on Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway. 

As Smith led 105 of 250 laps and cruised to a win by over eight seconds in the FaithFest 250, Riggs, who paced the field for 25 circuits, had to settle for second. 

Layne Riggs didn't have enough to challenge Chandler Smith

"Part of me wanted to have a restart, but part of me knew if that happened there was probably going to be some carnage," Riggs told Fox Sports. "I was very happy just finishing the race there. Congratulations to Chandler, he did a great job. Those guys had a great race.

"I think we could've contended at the end. I really fought fire-off speed, and then [during that] short run at the end of Stage 2 I lost it, lost it again to start the final stage, just really took that long run to get going. The cards just didn't fall our way today."

Fortunately for Riggs, his main contender for the points lead in Kaden Honeycutt finished 11th, allowing Riggs to open up a 59-point lead over Honeycutt going into the July 24 race at Indianapolis Raceway Park. 

With only three races left in the the regular season, the regular season title and No. 1 seed in the Chase is Riggs' for the taking if he and the No. 34 team can avoid disaster over the next three events.