The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, held Friday at the Naval Base Coronado, ended in total chaos, but with a familiar finish, as Layne Riggs secured a dramatic victory for Front Row Motorsports.
On the final restart of the race, Kaden Honeycutt went off track and collided with the wall at the exit of turn 2, involving Chandler Smith and eliminating both drivers from the fight for the win.
Now, Daniel Hemric was the race leader, but Tyler Reif came on strong, sparking an intense battle for the top spot. The fight escalated when Hemric and Reif crashed considerably at the entrance of the final chicane, and smoke began to billow from Reif’s No. 42 Chevrolet.
Reif maintained the lead, battling with his damaged vehicle while defending his position from Riggs, who did not back down. In the last turn, Reif made a mistake, and Riggs seized the opportunity, passing him and then making contact at the exit of the corner. Reif, for his part, had to serve a penalty for missing the chicane.
This triumph marks Riggs’ fourth win of the 2026 season and the ninth of his career. Hemric, despite crashing into the wall just before crossing the finish line, finished second, followed by Kaz Grala in third, Landen Lewis fourth, and Ty Majeski fifth.
In an unofficial top ten were also Justin Haley, Brenden Queen, Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes, and Gio Ruggiero.
Race Development
Incidents during practice and qualifying saw a dozen trucks start from the back. Honeycutt led the field at the green flag, though Riggs quickly contended for the lead, which he secured after three laps.
The first incident occurred with the collision between Nicholson and Sutton, leading to the race’s first yellow flag. On the restart, Majeski made a spectacular save after blowing a tire in a turn, while Riggs took the win in the first stage.
In the second stage, Riggs pitted, but many other vehicles stayed on track, putting Honeycutt and veteran Jimmie Johnson at the front. Johnson, returning home, led laps for the first time since 2020. However, the race continued with multiple incidents, including the fall of Johnson and Corey Lajoie.
Final Activity and Chaos
Honeycutt was back in the lead, but he hit the wall while being pressured by Smith. Riggs managed to pass Johnson, and the battle intensified with multiple contacts between drivers. The race stabilized, but chaos returned with a major accident caused by Tyler Ankrum.
This accident brought the competition to overtime, where the stakes got higher with Honeycutt and Smith out of the race, leaving a final showdown among Hemric, Reif, and Riggs. Reif, seeking his first victory in the seventh race, made a mistake in the final chicane, allowing Riggs to take the lead and win.
With this victory, Riggs dubbed himself ‘Layne van Riggsbergen’ after the celebrated win in Coronado.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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