Layne Riggs closed out the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular season with a statement win. Racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Saturday's Team EJP 175, Riggs took his sixth victory of the season and locked up the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Chase for the Championship.

"Statement win. I mean, this is awesome," Riggs said after the race, as reported by Sports Illustrated. He also told Fox Sports, "I'm ready for some lobster."

Riggs, driving the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150, led a race-high 106 laps from the pole position, according to Sports Illustrated. The win was the 11th of his Truck Series career and his first at New Hampshire. The race served as the regular-season finale.

The victory was not as straightforward as the final margin suggests. Riggs had to overcome a tight truck, and he endured two overtime restarts. However, he crossed the finish line first, ahead of teammate Chandler Smith by 0.293 seconds.

"I thought I was off a little bit. I thought I was in trouble," Riggs admitted, as reported by both outlets. "Zilisch got by me, Chandler got by me. I was just really, really tight. Couldn't get it where I needed it. But my crew chief, Dylan Cappello, and engineer Jonathan Coates, they made some excellent, excellent changes at the end."

Riggs will start the Chase with a point lead advantage, and he is ready for the challenge. "Let's bring on the Chase. We only have seven [races] left. No mercy," he said, a quote carried by both Sports Illustrated and Yardbarker.

A Dramatic Fight for the Final Playoff Spot

While Riggs' win secured the top seed, the attention in the closing laps turned to the battle for the 10th and final Chase berth. The race was a heated competition among three drivers: Stewart Friesen, Tyler Ankrum, and Jake Garcia, according to Yardbarker.

Ankrum entered Saturday's race 10th in the standings, holding a 20-point edge over Friesen, while Garcia was 21 points back. However, strategy moves from Garcia and Friesen earned them stage points in Stages 1 and 2, respectively, which tightened the margins. Ankrum also dealt with brake issues, and Sports Illustrated described his eventual hold on the spot as a "narrowly missed out" for Friesen and touted Ankrum as "somehow managing" to "get the job done" despite the brake problems.

At the start of Stage 3, Friesen had the advantage, Ankrum struggled, and Garcia incurred a pit road penalty, as reported by Yardbarker. In the closing laps, Friesen ran inside the top five, Garcia was just outside the top 10, and Ankrum ran outside the top 20. With the standings tied for 10th when the caution came out on Lap 170, Ankrum stayed out, gained positions under caution, and barely slipped through the Lap 180 restart crash that sent the race into double overtime.

Race Results and Chase Field

The top finishers behind Riggs and Smith included Kaden Honeycutt in third, Stewart Friesen in fourth, and Connor Zilisch, who won Stages 1 and 2, according to both sources. The remaining top-10 finishers, as reported by Sports Illustrated, were Tristan McKee, Christopher Bell, Daniel Hemric, Justin Haley, and Parker Eatmon.

The first five finishers in the race were the ones who will enter the Chase with the strongest seeds. The 10 drivers competing in the postseason are: Riggs, Smith, Honeycutt, Christian Eckes, Gio Ruggiero, Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, Dan Hemric, and Ankrum, per a source. The first Chase race is the UNOH 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway next Thursday, September 17, and it will be televised on FS1 at 8:00 PM ET, with radio broadcast on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Perspectives

Team perspective: Riggs' outlook is optimistic and fierce, with his "No mercy" statement showing his championship intent. He also thanked his Front Row Motorsports crew, specifically crew chief Dylan Cappello and engineer Jonathan Coates, for the adjustments that helped him get the win.

Chase contender perspective: Ankrum's was relieved to secure his playoff spot despite the brake trouble. He carefully managed his pace and got through the frantic final laps to finish 16th and keep his spot.

In pursuit: Friesen, who finished fourth, narrowly missed the final Chase berth and was the closest rival to Ankrum. Despite making gains through stage points, he could not overcome the deficit and finish where he needed to.