North Wilkesboro, that historic little track with a soul as deep as the Appalachian hills, where the 2024 All-Star Race unfolded like a scene from a Southern drama. It was Lap 2, and the air was thick with anticipation, the kind that only comes when you’re watching the best of the best go at it without points on the line. Kyle Busch, ever the agitator, gave Ricky Stenhouse Jr. a little nudge, just enough to send Stenhouse spinning into the wall, his night over before it even began. But North Wilkesboro, with its lack of tunnel access, meant Stenhouse had to stew, had to wait until the checkered flag fell before he could settle the score. And oh, settle he did.

Post-race, he stood by the #8 hauler and confronted Rowdy. But even before the RCR driver could make sense of what Stenhouse was speaking, he landed a punch. It was total chaos, and even the crew members jumped in, and NASCAR had to police the situation. They handed a $75,000 fine to Stenhouse and used the brawl as promotional material. It felt as if the moment could not be recreated, and then came the twist with the late race chaos involving Corey Heim and Layne Riggs during the Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro.

Corey Heim was leading on the last lap of overtime, the checkered flag in sight. But then, like a plot twist in a thriller, Layne Riggs dived low into Turn 1, came up beside Heim in Turn 2, and sent him spinning. Chandler Smith seized the moment, passing Riggs in Turn 3 to snatch the win, leaving Riggs in second and Heim, who’d led a race-high 162 laps, finishing 17th. It was a robbery, plain and simple, a moment that had Heim seething.

“More than anything, he tried to do it to the seven last week for the win and mission accomplished for him this week, and it cost him one too. I don’t know just brutal, we’ve given up so many of them this year pretty much dominating this race, obviously the 38 was the only other guy who was rightfully good so felt like he deserved to win, if not anybody the 43, but I got really loose on the three, we struggled being loose on the short runs and he had an opportunity and yeah just disappointed with it,” Heim said, his words a mix of frustration and resignation.

But Heim wasn’t done. After the race, in a moment that could’ve ignited another North Wilkesboro brawl, he spoke in a calm manner, but his message to Layne Riggs was clear. “You’re racing like a f—— idiot. Calm down or else someone’s going to take care of you,” he said, before turning on his heel and walking away, leaving Riggs without a chance to respond. It was a warning, a line drawn in the dirt, a reminder that Heim’s disappointment wasn’t just about the race; it was about respect. Well, the stage was perfectly set up, but only Heim didn’t lose his cool.

Truth be told, he could’ve landed the first blow, but Riggs was with his entire crew. Not to mention, NASCAR’s security lead Stan Ruffin was just besides the Tricon Garage driver, and he would’ve been the first to diffuse the situation. Yep, that’s the same guy who pulled Stenhouse Jr. out of the brawl last year, and also restrained Noah Gragson after he was punched by Ross Chastain at Kansas in 2023. His mere presence was enough for the drivers to understand the drill, and this just might’ve spoiled what could’ve been another epic post-race fight.

But despite running Heim off the racetrack on the last lap of the race, Laybe Riggs didn’t have any regrets. If we are to go by his explanation, he only did what his team deserved on a late race restart at a track like North Wilkesboro.

Riggs had nothing but the victory lane in his sights

Two-lap shootouts in a NASCAR race are nothing but guaranteed drama. We saw last year how Denny Hamlin snatched a win right under the nose of Martin Truex Jr. at Richmond Raceway. You don’t need to be the best driver throughout the race to make it all count, and Layne Riggs who has come close to winning a race this year at Homestead and Las Vegas, wasn;t going to miss this opportunity.

“We’re green-white-checkered racing at North Wilkesboro at the end. I wasn’t going to get to him at all. He had the race won. Coming to the white (flag), we went down to (Turns) 3 and 4, and he got really free getting into 3 and opened the bottom up. I drove up under him. We got side-by-side on the frontstretch. I dove it in there on the bottom and tried to kind of slide job him. Didn’t make it happen. It’s disappointing… A lot of drama at short track racing. I’m out for me and my team. I want what’s best for us.” Riggs told MRN.

Well, he wasn’t able to bag the win despite throwing caution to the wind. If anything, Riggs has painted a target behind his back, and it won’t be a surprise if Heim plays spoiler to his path to playoffs.