In Defense of Scott Riggs

 In Defense of Scott Riggs

By Brian H Cotnoir

Layne Riggs is one of the up & coming drivers on the CARS Late Model Tour.  It's not surprising, Layne's father, Scott was once one touted as an up & comer in NASCAR twenty years ago.   Scott Riggs, certainly looked like he had a bright future ahead of him in NASCAR, but once he finally reached the NASCAR Cup Series, his success began to dwindle.   Like many other drivers I've talked about, Scott Riggs lack of success in the Cup Series have led many to often label him as a "NASCAR Bust", but there's more to his career than what most people remember.

Riggs began running part-time in the NASCAR Truck Series in 1999.   The following season in 2000, Riggs scored eight Top 10 finishes while running part-time for three different Truck Series teams.   Riggs results was enough to attract a full-time offer to drive in the Truck Series for Ultra Motorsports.  Riggs started off the season with eight straight Top 5 finishes for Ultra Motorsports, and he would pick up 5 wins that season in the Truck Series.  However, he only managed to finish 5th in the points standings.   The following year, Riggs moved up to the NASCAR Busch Series, to drive for ppc Racing (who had won the championship the previous year with driver Jeff Green).  Riggs would pilot the #10 Nesquik Ford for ppc Racing for two seasons, picking up four wins, and would finish a career high 6th in the points standings in 2003.

Riggs would then make the jump to the Cup Series to drive for MB2 Motorsports, replacing the team's long-time driver, Johnny Benson.    Riggs would struggle in the Cup Series for the underfunded MB2 Motorsports, only scoring one Top 5 finish that year at Dover and finished 29th in the final points standings.   The following year, Riggs had a few moments of brilliance on track, first he scored a 4rh place Finish in the 2005 Daytona 500, and at Michigan that year he finished a career best 2nd place, losing to Jeremy Mayfield.  However, Riggs finished 34th in the final points standings that year and the following season, he and sponsor Valvoline jumped ship to Evernham Motorsports, where he would be entered as the teams third full-time driver.

What seemed like a great deal at the time ultimately would doom Riggs Cup Series career.  Riggs 2006 season, started off with him failing to qualify for the Daytona 500.  The sole highlight of his season was when he won his 30 Lap exhibition race at the Nextel Open to qualify for the All-Star Race where he brought it home in an impressive 10th place.   He'd qualify for every race the rest of the season, but only managed one Top 5 finish.      By comparison, Kasey Kahne scored 6 wins that season for Evernham Motorsports and finished 8th in the points standings.   Riggs still managed to finish better than his teammate Jeremy Mayfield, how departed midway through the season and was replaced by Elliott Sadler.   The following season at Evernham, Riggs failed to qualify for 5 races, and was released by the team with two races left in the season and replaced by Patrick Carpantier.  

Scott Riggs last full-time season was with Haas CNC Racing in 2008, where he finished 31st in that seasons points standings.   The rest of his Cup Career was relegated to part-time role in a mostly Start & Park role for teams in the top three series.   Riggs last successful race came in the Truck Series in 2012, when he scored a fifth place finish at Martinsville for RBR Enterprises. 

I think Riggs Cup Series career can be summed up by driving for teams who were in the middle of their swansong seasons.    I feel like he still deserved  top quality ride in the Truck Series and/or Xfinity Series, and could have probably won a few more races had he been placed in a competitive ride at a team like Red Horse Racing or Kevin Harvick Incorporated.