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HHP/Harold Hinson photo
- Chandler Smith was victorious after a wild final lap that featured two lead changes in Saturday’s Window World 250 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway
- Layne Riggs, Smith’s Front Row Motorsports teammate, finished second, after Riggs made contact with race leader Corey Heim in Turn 2, sending Heim sideways and spinning to a 17th-place finish, while Smith took the lead and the win
- Tickets and camping packages for Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race are available by visiting northwilkesborospeedway.com
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (May 17, 2025) — The final lap of Saturday’s Window World 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway saw two lead changes, a side-by-side battle among teammates and a winner – Chandler Smith – who took the white flag in third place.
Smith emerged victorious after a breathtaking final-lap battle for victory with Front Row Motorsports teammate Layne Riggs and pole winner Corey Heim, which culminated in Heim spinning out in Turn 2 after contact with Riggs. Smith – who stayed on the bottom lane – drove past the carnage and withstood Riggs’ last-gasp effort entering Turn 3 to register a wholly unexpected victory.
The only lap Smith led on Saturday was the one that counted most.
In what was another enthralling chapter of Truck Series history at North Wilkesboro, Heim had the machine to beat and proved it for most of the afternoon, leading a race-high 162 of 255 laps. His downfall, however, was not pitting when Smith, Riggs and other leaders stopped during a caution period on Lap 214.
Heim went the final 111 circuits on the same set of tires – and nearly won the race in spite of it. The TRICON Garage driver managed his equipment to near-perfection, but Smith’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford slowly caught up to Heim over the final 20 laps. Smith appeared poised to pass him before a caution for Brent Crews’ spin with four laps remaining bunched the field and left Heim in control of the final restart.
With 70 more laps on his tires than the rest of the lead pack, Heim tried to work the high line and hold off Riggs’ unexpected charge from third. Riggs slid under Heim coming off Turn 4 and, as the two entered Turn 1 on the final lap, contact sent Heim spinning. The fracas was a welcome sight for Smith, who dashed under Riggs, held off his teammate’s lunge into the final corner and emerged with his second victory of the season.
Riggs ended up second with Tyler Ankrum third, Daniel Hemric fourth and Grant Enfinger fifth. Ty Majeski, Gio Ruggeiro, Kaden Honeycutt, Kyle Busch and Sammy Smith completed the top 10.
Heim finished 17th after the contact with Riggs sent him spinning toward the inside of the track, while the Front Row duo continued out front.
Heim’s 162 laps led marked a career high – a dominant performance despite not winning the race, nor Stages 1 or 2. Ruggeiro won Stage 1, while Enfinger claimed Stage 2.
CHANDLER SMITH, NO. 38 FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS FORD (Race Winner):
“We fought and clawed today. Just getting toward the front of the pack shows how good this Ford F-150 was today. I wasn’t as good as the 11 (Heim), but we had the tire advantage on him. That last restart, I did everything but the right thing. My teammate, Layne Riggs, executed it perfectly – but I’m happy we could bring one home for Front Row Motorsports.”
LAYNE RIGGS, NO. 34 FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS FORD (Runner-Up):
“I feel like (Heim) got loose into (Turns) 3 and 4 and gave the bottom up. We were side-by-side and I didn’t fence him. I slid up the track, but I gave him a lane. That’s North Wilkesboro for a Truck win. I feel like if the roles were reversed, it’d probably be the same thing.”
TICKETS:
Tickets and camping can be purchased for Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race by shopping online at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com.
MORE INFO:
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