NCTS Race Recap: Allegiance 200

After a lengthy rain delay, the Allegiance 200 finally got underway at Nashville Superspeedway. Qualifying was rained out, so the field was set by the metric, which included practice times. Layne Riggs got the pole with Kaden Honeycutt joining him on the front row. Jesse Love and Gio Ruggiero started on the second row. Chandler Smith started in 22nd, and Rajah Caruth started the race in 25th. The stage lengths were 45 laps for stage one, 50 for stage two, and the final stage was 55 laps.

Stage 1

Riggs got a huge launch and took the lead into turn one. He pulled to the outside line in front of Honeycutt. Christian Eckes drove to the inside of Ruggiero to get to fourth. The field quickly migrated to the inside line in a single-file line.

Riggs built his lead to over two seconds and kept it there.

Chandler Smith made moves early. He passed his way into the top 10 and continued his drive forward.

Riggs caught the back of the field and began to lap them.

Caruth made his way up to 21st.

A battle with  Corey LaJoie cut Riggs’ lead down to three seconds; however, it was not enough to stop Riggs from leading every lap and winning stage one in the Allegiance 200! Honeycutt, Love, Eckes, and Ruggiero finished the stage in the top five.

Under caution, Clayton Green had issues and had to be pushed to pit road.

Riggs and Honeycutt were the first trucks off of pit road.

Cautions…

Honeycutt and Riggs restarted the race out front. Riggs, again, got the better launch and took the lead into turn one.

Tyler Reif brought out the second caution after backing his truck into the outside wall. He got loose in turn four and could not save it.

Riggs and Honeycutt brought the green flag back out. Riggs took the lead, but Honeycutt fought back. Carson Ferguson got turned around by himself and backed into the wall to bring out the third caution.

The same two restarted on the front row. Riggs got a great push from Eckes, who was able to pass Honeycutt for the runner-up spot. Honeycutt fought back and got alongside Eckes. Eckes was able to take second back before the fourth caution came out.

Tanner Gray got loose and took Jake Garcia. They collected Jesse Love in the incident. Love had to go to the garage due to damage.

Eckes joined Riggs on the front row for the restart. Riggs took the lead into turn one and pulled away from the field quickly. Eckes took the runner-up spot and began to fight Honeycutt to hold the position.

The fifth caution came out for debris on the track. The piece came off the damaged truck of Jake Garcia.

With 10 to go in the stage, Eckes and Riggs restarted on the front row. Riggs took the lead and pulled Honeycutt to second. Riggs quickly pulled away by over a second. He would lead the rest and win stage two in the Allegiance 200! Grant Enfinger finished fifth behind Eckes, Smith, and Honeycutt.

Stage 3

Ross Chastain, Rajah Caruth, Tyler Ankrum, and Andres Perez stayed out under the caution. Chastain and Caruth brought the field back to the green flag, while Riggs restarted in 10th. Chastain took the lead with Caruth pushing him down the back stretch. Caruth pulled alongside Chastain and took the lead into turn one.

Riggs fell back on the restart. He was able to find his bearings and start the move to the front.

Meanwhile, Caruth maintained his lead at half a second.

Honeycutt pulled up to the rear bumper of Chastain, but could not get around him. Chastain was able to hold him off. That battle allowed Caruth to push his lead to a second.

The seventh caution came out for Kaden Honeycutt. His truck lost all power, and he had to stop on the track. He was pushed to his pit stall, where his team replaced the battery.

Riggs pitted for tires and only lost one spot.

Caruth and Chastain restarted the race with 26 to go. LaJoie and Ben Rhodes got together right in front of Riggs. LaJoie was shoved into the wall. Caruth scampered out to a lead of about a second.

The eighth caution came out for a tire sitting in the grass on the front stretch. The tire came from Rhodes’ truck.

16 to go

Caruth and Chastain restarted the race. They battled for the lead, staying side by side on the back stretch. Caruth took the lead into turn three.

Riggs restarted in tenth and immediately began to climb the leaderboard. He passed Stewart Freisen and Grant Enfinger at the same time to get to sixth.

Caruth pulled away by over half a second.

Riggs passed Ankrum to get into the top five. Perez got very loose in front of him, which slowed Riggs down. Friesen and Ankrum got back around Riggs. Riggs quickly got back around Friesen and then Ankrum.

With 10 to go, Caruth had his lead at half a second. Riggs sat three seconds back in fourth. Riggs made quick work of Chastain.

Five to go saw Riggs a second back of the leader. He was the fastest track and caught the top two in Smith and Caruth. Smith got loose in turn two, and Riggs pounced on the mistake. Caruth began to make his truck as wide as he could to slow Riggs. Riggs made a move on the outside and completed the pass in turn two on the white flag lap. Layne Riggs took the checkered flag to win the Allegiance 200!

Marvin’s Minute:

The force that is “Layne Riggs” has been building for a while. He is the fastest driver on the track week in and week out. If Honeycutt had not had issues, he would have battled, but it was Riggs who took the checkered flag. He is going to win more this season. He has proven himself at every track the series goes to. The series continues its schedule next week in Michigan!