Riggs aims to keep Front Row Motorsports undefeated at COTA
AUSTIN, Texas — When the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series field gets the green flag Saturday at COTA, Layne Riggs will roll off eighth.
“I have never raced on a road course before, so it’s going to be interesting to say the least,” Riggs said about COTA entering the weekend.
Some motivation to overcome this inexperience may be that his No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team is undefeated at COTA.
Todd Gilliland won the inaugural Truck Series (and NASCAR) race at COTA in 2021. He claimed stage one, then led eight laps, including the final six, and won by 7.941 seconds over Kaz Grala.
The next two years, it was all Zane Smith.
In 2022, Alex Bowman piled into Stewart Friesen and Kyle Busch, letting Smith sneak by and win. Smith led 11 of 46 laps and claimed the first two stages before getting the win that day.
Then, last year, Smith handled the field, leading a race-high 16 of 42 laps and winning by 5.451 seconds over Kyle Busch.
The ingredients from Gilliland and Smith’s successes are there for Riggs, according to crew chief Dylan Cappello.
“Myself and the team are giving Layne the exact set up we gave Todd and Zane. I know we’ll be fast,” Cappello said.
Cappello knows Riggs will be fast. As far as a win, Cappello is keeping expectations in check but is confident in his driver.
“We want to keep the win streak going, for sure, but it’s going to be a challenge since Layne has never raced a road course. He’s been preparing for months with sim time and talking to other FRM drivers, so I know he’ll be ready.”
To get to victory lane, Riggs said, “I just have to execute.”
MORE on COTA: NASCAR at COTA 2024: Odds, TV times, results, starting lineups and more
Discover more from The Racing Experts
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com