captured the checkered flag within the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence’ first avenue course race, successful at St. Petersburg as a part of IndyCar’s opening weekend.
Riggs needed to maintain off after which within the remaining laps, whereas additionally worrying about how a lot gas he had within the tank for his #34 Entrance Row Motorsports Ford.
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“Very first thing I’ll say, thanks to ,” stated Riggs in Victory Lane. “I do know he is watching at house. A highway course man — he is the person. He helped me a lot. We have been engaged on this racetrack within the simulator at Ford Racing since December. I actually, actually wished to get my first win on a highway course. The quick observe man from Bahama, North Carolina, received at St. Pete, are you able to imagine it? I’ve actually been attempting to excellent my craft. I really feel like I have been shut within the highway programs. Only a large shout out to everyone at Entrance Row Motorsports … I actually stated, ‘I simply need to win a highway course, simply to indicate I am not simply that quick observe man’.”
Riggs appeared to have loads of gas for post-race burnouts, however he was shaking the truck all through the ultimate lap. He had this to say bout the gas state of affairs: “It sputtered with about to eight to go. The pickup on these vans are on the left aspect, so each time that I might flip to the left, the gas would slosh away. So the entire time I used to be simply attempting to get it to go. Not understanding, attempting to handle your hole. Thanks to Ben [Rhodes] and Ty [Majeski]. They ran me fairly clear. I do know that final nook, Ty in all probability might have cleaned me out if he wished to. We had been so shut there. What an superior feeling.”
Majeski completed second, Rhodes third, fourth, and fifth. Landen Lewis, , Daniel Hemric, Colin Braun, and crammed out the rest of the highest ten.
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Stage 1Track view
Observe view
It was a clear opening lap with Connor Mosack main the best way. The primary warning got here quickly after although, as spun off the nostril of and could not get again rolling.
Rhodes took the lead on the restart, however Mosack remained shut all through many of the stage.
Behind them, wheel-hopped into Flip 1 and door-slammed Hinchcliffe, inflicting some fender harm to Hinch’s trip, however each drivers prevented an precise crash.
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Later, Tanner Grey spun into the tire pack, however received again rolling with out the necessity for a yellow.
Rhodes went on to win the stage forward of Mosack, Lewis, C. Smith, Ruggiero, Franchitti, Riggs, Ankrum, Honeycutt, and Perez.
Stage 2
Rhodes held the lead on the restart, whereas Mosack struggled to maintain tempo after selecting to not take recent tires in non-competitive pit stops throughout the stage break. He received shuffled again a number of positions with C. Smith taking second.
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The warning flew as crashed as a result of contact, involving and one other truck. The staff went to work, taking a sledge-hammer to the again of Andretti’s truck as seemed on from the pit field.
On the restart, the sector fanned out three-wide for the lead with the FRM vans surging by way of. Smith took the lead, however teammate Riggs challenged him within the closing laps of the stage. He made a daring transfer to the within, battling for a number of corners with Riggs in the end prevailing.
Hinchcliffe made his means as much as seventh earlier than falling by way of the sector after lacking a nook. Frankie Muniz additionally went to pit highway with a problem, costing him a number of laps.
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Riggs went on to win the stage over Smith, Lewis, Majeski, Rhodes, Ruggiero, Ankrum, Francitti, Enfinger, and Perez.
Stage 3
Riggs held the lead on the restart whereas Majeski transferring up into second, splitting the FRM teammates.
Again within the subject, it was plenty of contact all through the run as drivers muscled one another out of the best way. Some notable moments included when Lewis threw a block on Ankrum, who sustained large fender harm as he hit the again of Lewis’ truck. Cole Butcher and Kris Wright went for single-truck spins in Flip 1, whereas a stalled Derek White is what lastly triggered a warning flag.
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Within the subsequent restart, Ruggiero spun from sixth place whereas Hinchcliffe went for a spin again in twentieth. Nathan Nicholson and Mini Tyrrell additionally slammed the wall on the restart, inflicting main harm to the right-front of each vans. Nonetheless, the warning solely flew for White as he as soon as once more stalled on observe.
Majeski received the lead on the restart, nevertheless it was short-lived as he ran extensive within the remaining nook, touching the tire pack and tearing by way of the grass. He rejoined in sixth place.
Franchitti, who was operating inside the highest ten all day, made an unscheduled pit cease with a steering concern.
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Regardless of operating off the course, Majeski shortly marched again by way of the highest 5. Rhodes closed in as Riggs navigated slower visitors, and nearly received alongside. Majeski then received his flip, passing Rhodes and getting proper to Riggs’ again bumper on the ultimate lap.
For Riggs, that is his sixth win within the Truck Sequence, and his first on a highway/avenue course.
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