Spin Ruins Riggs’ Promising Run

LAS VEGAS (March 3, 208) -- Scott Riggs and the State Water Heaters No. 66 team finished 36th in Sunday’s UAW 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway here.

Riggs was running in the Top 10 for much of the race before spinning on Lap 177 of the 267-lap race. Prior to the spin Riggs reported that his car was loose in traffic and he was just inside another car on the track when the No. 66 broke free.

Riggs was able to save the car from hitting the wall but as he slid down the track the left front of his race car made contact with the No. 40 machine driven by Dario Franchitti. The team attempted to get Riggs quickly back on the track but a bent bumper brace was rubbing the tire and required an extended pit stop to remove, thus putting Riggs laps down to the leaders.

“The team gave me a great car this weekend and I’m disappointed that our day ended this way,” Riggs said. “If we just could have stayed on the lead lap we would have been okay. We were still posting good lap times after the repairs,” he said. “I’m disappointed for State Water Heaters and the team.

“With a good qualifying run and practices, everyone was really excited about the way the weekend was unfolding. We’ll just have to look at the positives, and that is knowing we can be competitive on this style of track,” Riggs added.

Following the race the No. 66 team headed to Phoenix for a NASCAR-sanctioned testing session Monday and Tuesday. Following a brief stop at home they will head to Atlanta for Sunday’s running of the Kobalt Tools 500. The race will be broadcast live on Fox beginning at 2 p.m. EST and on local PRN radio affiliates.