Conversation: Scott Riggs

Scott Riggs certainly took his time to reach the upper levels of NASCAR racing, but his well-studied approach to learning racing's lessons at each stop on his journey has served him well.

Recent Conversations  •  Dave Blaney  •  Mark Martin  •  Ryan Newman  •  Jeff Gordon  •  Casey Atwood  •  Jimmie Johnson  •  Jade Gurss  •  Greg Biffle  •  Jeff Burton  •  Kurt Busch  •  Dale Earnhardt Jr.  •  Steve Park  •  Michael Waltrip

Riggs, 32, labored on the Late Model Stock Car circuit until he ran part-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 1999 and 2000.

But Riggs burst to the front of every NASCAR team owner's consciousness in 2001, when he won five Truck Series races and finished fifth in the championship in his first full season at Ultra Motorsports.

In less than two full seasons in the Busch Series, Riggs has won the Rookie of the Year Award, four races and two Bud Poles.

Prior to enjoying a rare off weekend with wife Jai and son Lane, Riggs talked with NASCAR.com's Dave Rodman to discuss the rapid emergence of his career, racing in the Busch Series and what the future holds.

Have you been contacted by any of the Winston Cup teams for any of the vacancies in what's been a crazy season so far?

It's funny you ask something like that. I have had phone calls and I've had some interesting conversations with some different Winston Cup teams.

I think everyone has given me a lot of respect and made me feel real good about what I'm doing in the Busch Series, to even contact me or consider me to go to Winston Cup racing.

	Scott Riggs (right) with teammate Jason Keller Credit: Autostock

That's always been my lifelong ambition. But everyone has been given the same answer. I really appreciate it and it's something we can talk about later, but right now I'm trying to keep my focus on the Busch Series.

I don't think that I could possibly do both and be 100 percent in both right now. I need to concentrate on one thing and be the best at that that I can.

Have you been contacted by anyone that, if you could tell us who they are, it would blow people's minds?

Well, I can't say anything, you're right. But if you would have sat down with me five years ago and told me that if I kept up what I was doing that I would get the opportunities of a lifetime, and would have these people call for a Winston Cup opportunity, I think I would have definitely laughed in your face.

I could never have imagined it. It's great and it's flattering, but at the same time it's not something I can dwell on or think too much about because I need to keep my head focused in the right direction, and right now that's on winning the Busch Series championship this year.

You actually got to NASCAR's upper levels a little later than some of the guys coming on now, yet you're highly regarded in terms of possible Winston Cup job openings. What's your take on that?

	Riggs races Ron Hornaday at Richmond Credit: Autostock

I like to think that I did come from awful humble beginnings, and I feel like I may be one of the last people to come through the good old fashioned way.

That is, to come from the local, hard level and slowly work your way up learning about race cars, working on the race cars, crew chiefing them and driving them all in the same weekend.

I've had a lot of great opportunities at a lot of levels just to be able to get me here. I think these days everyone is looking for the next new, young star and I think that that's great. I'm not saying that those young stars haven't earned their opportunity.

But at the same time I don't think that very many of them have gone through the ups and downs and the slow, learning curve that I have had to go through to get to where I am.

You come from a short track background but you've excelled from the beginning on the superspeedways. How did that occur?

	Credit: Autostock

My father always said that he felt like the bigger the race track, the better that I would do. Maybe he just kept telling me that to make me believe it.

I think the way that I formed my driving style made it able to show up better and quicker on some of the larger race tracks, as far as being able to drive off into the corners with a lot of speed, yet still be able to be smooth on a lot of these race tracks.

There's some concern about sponsorship in the Busch Series, including at your team, where your sponsor is leaving at the end of the season. What's your concern in that respect?

I feel that (owner) Greg Pollex puts the right people in the right places and gives everyone exactly what they need to be the best that they can be, and that's just starting to really become obvious to everyone.

He's going to have two competitive cars no matter what manufacturer he's with or what driver is in the seat.

I think Greg definitely has an eye for talent and I feel fortunate that he gave me the opportunity to prove my talent in his car.

Nestle is saying they're going to leave the sport and it's hard to say, considering how the economy is -- but I think ppc has a lot of potentially good sponsors lined up and I think they'll be fine in the future.

Your team made some changes before this season. How have they worked out?

	Credit: Autostock

My crew chief, Doug Randolph, has been someone I've been able to work with and relate to, not only on a racing level, but also on an everyday, person-to-person level. He's someone that I can really share all my thoughts with.

He draws the best out of me and he analyzes and breaks down the information that I try to give him out of the race car better than anyone ever has and I think that he makes the wisest choices or decisions pertaining to the race car to make me happier.

When you come in and make suggestions to your crew chief about the car, and he makes them and you go out and you're faster; that's what builds confidence and makes the relationship stronger and communication stronger.

You and your wife have been blessed with a son. What kind of perspective has he brought to your lives?

The big thing that my child has done for me, is that when I do come home from the race track and I'm pretty stressed, or if I've had a bad weekend like last weekend -- to come back home and spend time with my son really puts my life and all of my priorities back in order.

It lets me remember the important things in life and helps to ease my stress, I guess is the best way to say it. He helps me from getting too overwhelmed with disappointments or even victories. He keeps me grounded. My son is the best play station I could possibly find.