Layne Riggs Exclusive Interview: NASCAR’s Quietest Up And Comer Talks Legacy, Pressure, and His Truck Series Rise

Layne Riggs is a second-generation driver from Bahama, North Carolina, deep in ACC country right outside the campuses of Duke and UNC, and now even deeper into his rise in the NASCAR world. We caught up with him in his hauler at Pocono Raceway just after he scored the pole position for the Truck Series race, and what stood out immediately wasn’t the excitement or nerves. It was calm. Quiet confidence. The kind of quiet that can’t be faked earned only through years of racing, building, and learning.

Despite carrying the name of a Cup Series veteran, his father Scott Riggs, Layne’s journey has been anything but handed to him. Yes, his dad opened some doors, but as Layne put it, “...the hard work paid off, and all those late nights and phone calls and cold calls ended up making sense.” For every connection that came from his last name, there were countless hours of grinding behind the scenes, much of it handled by Layne and his longtime agent Jay, who also represented his father back in the day. It’s a generational effort, but make no mistake, this is Layne’s career to build.

He started racing at 12 in Late Model Stocks and quickly rose through the short track ranks. The big breakthrough came in 2022 when he captured the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national championship. That same year, he was balancing life as a full-time mechanical engineering student at UNC Charlotte. He told us that there was a point where he nearly walked away from it all: “I told myself, before I got this opportunity [with Front Row Motorsports], if I didn’t have a national series ride by graduation, I was going to hang up the helmet and get a ‘real job’.” The opportunity came just in time.

Like Many Drivers In The US, Layne Riggs Started On The Short Track Circuit

When asked whether he considers himself a Front Row Motorsports up and comer, a Ford driver program guy, or a lone wolf looking for the best path forward, he gave a thoughtful answer. “I’m fully dedicated to Front Row Motorsports, they’ve given me my first opportunity… but you know, no matter what, if a great opportunity comes, it'd be hard to pass.” That kind of honest, forward-thinking mindset is exactly why Layne is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the sharpest young racers in the garage. And that loyalty speaks volumes where some drivers are moving teams every year, Layne is taking things at his pace and won’t put himself in a bad position. It doesn’t make sense to go from winning in Trucks to running 30th in Cup just because you want to say you’re a cup driver. While Front Row Motorsports is not just a Truck team they also field a competitive Cup team, I asked Layne on how things have been working under the same roof as them. Layne told us how the Cup guys let him do his thing “Zane (Smith) raced this Truck before me,But you know a lot of the time they just kind of let me do it and they trust me”.  Shortly before the Cup race I got to talk with Zane and asked him to describe Layne in three words he replied with a smile and said “Unique,Funny, and Country”  anf that shows on how close the FRM bunch it is across both series and how they are letting Layne do his thing and be fast.

Scott Riggs Raced In All 3 NASCAR National Series

His thoughts on the current state of the Truck Series were refreshingly blunt. He called it “Aggressive, Desperate, and Inspiring,” noting that the field has shifted from seasoned short-track veterans to mostly young drivers fighting to make a name for themselves. That change has made it more intense but also more chaotic. He’d love to see more class return to the series but knows the format incentivizes risk-taking. On the topic of improvement, Layne said the schedule could use work. “Before last weekend, we raced seven in a row, then after Lime Rock it’s three weeks off.” That imbalance can put certain teams, especially smaller ones at a serious disadvantage.

When asked about the differences between the open ladder of American stock car racing and the more rigid paths seen in European motorsports, Layne said he preferred the American model, where there are multiple ways to reach the top. But he was quick to point out its flaws too, particularly how money can outshine talent. “We need a system to reward talent over who bought the best equipment.” Coming from someone who has lived both sides of the grind hard to show off his talent and not having the massive financial backing that other young drivers have, that message carries real weight. We even talked about the idea if NASCAR had some kinda draft system which is fun in theory but would probably never happen

Layne Won Pole And The Race At Pocono

But don’t mistake Layne Riggs for someone playing the victim with his view. He’s quiet, but he’s not passive. He’s not afraid to race hard and mix it up whether it results in a win or loss, especially now that he's part of a team where he feels supported. His support system includes his right-hand man Alex and his trusted agent Jay. As for his racing mindset, it's pure: he’s not here for the fame or the spotlight. He just wants to go fast, have fun with his friends and family, and most importantly win.

We also talked a bit about the culture and character that surrounds the sport. His favorite racing movies? “Cars, Days of Thunder, and Talladega Nights.” That last one especially hits home, his dad Scott was actually sponsored by the Cars movie in 2006, and Layne got to see the film before anyone else. “Dad was sponsored by the Cars movie in 2006, and we got to see the movie before anyone else,” he recalled with a grin. 6 year old me is extremely jealous right now.

Scott Riggs Racing With A Cars Movie Themed Paint Scheme

And yes, we had to ask, did he pass his driver’s test on the first try? “I did okay. You can miss like five questions, and I missed four.” His first car? A truck his dad bought in 2002 handed down by his dad, which he drove all through high school.

With talk swirling about whether he’s ready for a move up to Cup or Xfinity, Layne doesn’t seem flustered. He’s focused on winning now, in trucks, with the team that believed in him. What happens next will come when it’s time. But he made one thing clear: this isn’t just a career. It’s a mission.

In his own words, “I just want to race the best and show what I can do.” Whether that happens next year or the year after, one thing’s certain: Layne Riggs isn’t following someone’s script. He’s writing his own and it’s getting harder to ignore with every lap. And he backed things up by winning the Truck race a couple hours after our talk in great fashion

Riggs Won At Pocono After Our Interview With Him