No. 1 Chase seed Layne Riggs falls multiple laps down after loose wheel

Layne Riggs, who entered the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase as the No. 1 seed, fell multiple laps down in Thursday's postseason opener at Bristol Motor Speedway after reporting a loose wheel early in the final stage. RELATED: Live leaderboard | At-track photos: Bristol The No. 34 Front Row Motorsports driver swept the opening stages of the 250-lapper under the lights at "The Last Great Colosseum," but during the Stage 2 caution, the team had a slow stop and dropped from the lead. Riggs launched from sixth to third on the ensuing restart before coming to pit road, returning to the track two laps down. Riggs' issue continues a trend of No. 1 Chase seeds struggling early in all three national series. Cup Series' points leader Denny Hamlin only holds a nine-point lead over Kyle Larson after two Chase races, while O'Reilly Auto Parts Series top seed Justin Allgaier now trails Sheldon Creed by three points for the championship lead after Darlington and World Wide Technology Raceway woes. Riggs' Front Row teammate Chandler Smith was caught speeding on pit road before the final stage. The No. 38 Ford driver entered The Chase as the No. 3 seed. This story will be updated.