NASCAR Driver Injures Himself While Celebrating Truck Series Win
Professional stock car racing driver Layne Riggs scored his first big win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Sunday, but inadvertently injured himself while celebrating the milestone.
Just moments after the 22-year-old second-generation driver, who is the son of former NASCAR driver, Scott Riggs, beat out fellow drivers beat out Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes, Nick Sanchez, and Taylor Gray for the top spot at Wisconsin's Milwaukee Mile, he celebrated by climbing on top of his car and pumping his fist in the air. Unfortunately, he was perhaps a bit too overzealous in his triumph, and literally managed to dislocate his shoulder.
Riggs could be seen wincing in pain while still standing on the vehicle, and his pit crew had to help him pop it back into place.
When you celebrate so hard you dislocate your shoulder. ???????? https://t.co/h9kRsQineP pic.twitter.com/h9wLwKgffv
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) August 25, 2024
"Yeah, I dislocated my shoulder I was celebrating so hard," Riggs said following the event, via TMZ. But strangely enough, this isn't the first time Riggs has injured himself celebrating a career win.
"It hurts, but it was worth it. It’s not the first time it’s happened to me, but it ain’t gonna slow me down," he continued "I've done it before, but never in victory lane before. I think it’s No. 9 dislocation of the shoulder. It’s fast jerk motions. And guess I got a little too excited."
The next truck series race isn't scheduled until Sept. 19th in Bristol, TN, so at least he has plenty of time to rest of and heal in the meantime. And hopefully, he'll learn his lesson this time.
The victory sends Riggs to 12th in the Truck Series standings. But while this was his first Truck Series win, the young driver is no stranger to victory.
In 2022, at age 20, he became the youngest NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion in the history of the series. He finished at four points ahead of previous year's champion, Peyton Sellers, who had previously been the youngest driver to win the championship at 21-years old in 2005.