The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series made its debut on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, on Saturday, delivering an unexpectedly impressive and highly professional race despite being the series’ first foray onto a street course. Layne Riggs, who is not traditionally known for road course prowess, overcame a challenging starting position of 28th, due to NASCAR’s Performance Metric system, to seize the lead and triumph in the race driving the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford F-150.
Adapting to a New Challenge: From a 28th-Place Start to Checkered Flag
Riggs quickly adjusted to the 1.8-mile street circuit, demonstrating remarkable skill and composure on unfamiliar terrain. His performance was the result of dedicated preparation alongside Joey Hand, Ford’s road course specialist, whose simulator work helped Riggs perfect his strategy for St. Pete.
First thing I’m going to say is thank you to Joey Hand, my road course guy. He’s the man; we’ve been working on this racetrack on the simulator at Ford Racing since December. I really wanted to get my first win on a road course,
Riggs noted in Victory Lane.
The short track guy from Bahama, North Carolina, won at St. Pete, can you believe it? I’ve really been perfecting my craft. I feel like I’ve been really close on the road courses, and big shout-out to everyone at Front Row Motorsports. I literally said this year, I want to win on a road course to show that I’m not just that short track guy.
Late-Race Drama: Ty Majeski’s Aggressive Pursuit Falls Short
In the closing laps, Riggs had to fend off Ty Majeski, the reigning 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, who had been charging through the field despite starting further back. Majeski briefly took the lead during the final run but made a critical mistake in Turn 14, allowing Riggs to retake the front. Ben Rhodes, Majeski’s ThorSport Racing teammate, secured second before fading to third, while Majeski recovered to finish second after pressuring Riggs hard on the race’s final lap.
On the last corner, Majeski seemed poised to attempt a daring pass but opted instead to move outside and accept second place, concluding an intense battle for the win.
Strong Ford Presence and Top Contenders’ Performances
Ben Rhodes led for a significant portion of the race and aimed to replicate his 2021 road course success at Daytona but slipped in pace during the final laps. Chandler Smith, winner of the season opener at Daytona, consistently ran near the top but ultimately finished fourth, rounding out a Ford sweep of the top four spots.
Kaden Honeycutt, who topped Friday’s rain-shortened practice sessions, finished fifth and ended the streak of TRICON Garage’s No. 11 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro at road courses. Meanwhile, Niece Motorsports teammates Landen Lewis and Andres Perez de Lara impressed with sixth and seventh places, and Daniel Hemric claimed eighth despite an earlier issue. Road course specialists Colin Braun of Kaulig Racing and James Hinchcliffe of Spire Motorsports rounded out the top ten.
Notable Runs and Setbacks from the Field
Cole Butcher rebounded from a severe accident during Friday’s practice to finish 14th in a backup Ford F-150 after destroying his primary truck early in the weekend. Dario Franchitti, a major storyline before the race, performed well through much of the event within the top ten but suffered a late unscheduled pit stop that caused him to finish 27th.
Championship Standings Tighten as Season Progresses
After the race at St. Petersburg, Chandler Smith leads the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings with three top-10 finishes this season, holding a 34-point margin over Ben Rhodes. Ty Majeski, Gio Ruggiero, and Layne Riggs complete the top five in the standings, highlighting a competitive field early in the championship battle.
Detailed Results from the OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 at St. Petersburg
1. #34 – Layne Riggs
2. #88 – Ty Majeski
3. #99 – Ben Rhodes
4. #38 – Chandler Smith
5. #11 – Kaden Honeycutt
6. #45 – Landen Lewis
7. #44 – Andres Perez De Lara
8. #19 – Daniel Hemric
9. #25 – Colin Braun
10. #77 – James Hinchcliffe
11. #4 – Ben Maier
12. #16 – Justin Haley
13. #7 – Connor Mosack
14. #13 – Cole Butcher
15. #91 – Christian Eckes
16. #42 – Tyler Reif
17. #10 – Daniel Dye
18. #98 – Jake Garcia
19. #81 – Kris Wright
20. #15 – Tanner Gray
21. #2 – Carter Fartuch
22. #9 – Grant Enfinger
23. #5 – Adam Andretti
24. #12 – Brenden Queen
25. #17 – Giovanni Ruggiero (-1 Lap)
26. #52 – Stewart Friesen (-1 Lap)
27. #1 – Dario Franchitti (-1 Lap)
28. #14 – Mini Tyrrell (-3 Laps)
29. #22 – Jackson Lee (-5 Laps)
30. #33 – Frankie Muniz (-6 Laps)
31. #18 – Tyler Ankrum (-10 Laps)
32. #56 – Timmy Hill (-17 Laps)
33. #26 – Dawson Sutton (OUT)
34. #76 – Nathan Nicholson (OUT)
35. #69 – Derek White (OUT)
36. #62 – Wesley Slimp (OUT)
Implications for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Future
Layne Riggs’ unexpected triumph on the New St. Petersburg street circuit underlines his versatility beyond short tracks and signals his emergence as a serious contender in the Truck Series. His victory, backed by strong preparation and resilience, enhances the competitiveness of the series on diverse track types, potentially increasing fan engagement and driver motivation. The tight points race early in the season suggests an intense battle will continue as the series visits a variety of venues, testing drivers’ limits on both paved ovals and technically demanding road courses.
Hard work pays off, @LayneRiggs99. 👏 pic.twitter.com/vUDCbY6li2
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) February 28, 2026
