Riggs Comes Up Short
When Fuel Runs Out

LONG POND, Pa. – Scott Riggs was headed for a Top-15 finish in Sunday’s Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway, but with one lap to go he ran out of fuel and took the checkered flag in the 29th position.

Riggs qualified in the 40th position but dropped to the rear of the field for the beginning of the race because the team changed engines on Saturday.

Although he battled a loose handling car for the early stages of the race, the 200-lap event offered plenty of opportunities to work on finding the right balance. The team would make several air pressure and chassis adjustments before the car settled-in to Riggs’ liking.

When the field came under caution for rain on Lap 128, crew chief Bootie Barker instructed Riggs to stay on the track and not pit with the race leaders. Just two laps later, the red flag came out and the race was halted by rain for 41-minutes with Riggs sitting in the 10th position.

The race went green again on Lap 134 and Riggs was able to maintain his position as the car’s handling was vastly improved running up front in clean air. By Lap 157, as cars began to cycle through green flag pit stops, Riggs was up to third.

Riggs pitted for the final time on Lap 161 and when the field had completed its cycle of pit stops he was again running in the Top 10. Barker soon let Riggs know that the team calculated they would come up two laps short on fuel and he told Riggs to save as much as he could.

He continued to run in the Top 10 for another several laps, but uncertain that he was saving enough fuel Riggs began to fall through the field slightly as he eased up on the gas pedal. Then, on Lap 198 and running in the Top 15, Riggs came over the radio to report he had zero fuel pressure.

He coasted around the track and finished 29th, one lap down.

“That was a real tough break,” Riggs said. “We took a gamble and lost, but that’s part of the business. The car started off terribly loose today and I’m really proud of my team for getting it to where I could race,” he said. “I think we showed a lot of heart today. We just came up short.”

The No. 66 team was able to retain its hold on the 35th-position in the owner points standings, but their lead over the 36th-place team is now just four points. Nevertheless, Riggs has a guaranteed starting position when the team heads to Watkins Glen for the Centurion Boats at the Glen race next Sunday.