Layne Riggs won for the third time in four races as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series visited Naval Base Coronado. But the story was the driver who almost won.
Tyler Reif came within only a handful of turns away from pulling off a stunner for Niece Motorsports, but overcooked a chicane and finished 19th after he was forced to stop on the track as a penalty. In the meantime, teammate Landen Lewis earned himself a solid P4 finish.
Reif and Lewis are both part-time drivers for Niece this season, with a combined 13 career Truck Series starts. They are both paying immediate dividends, and given the team they drive for, that should come as no surprise.
Niece Motorsports has found the next up in its long line of under-the-radar NASCAR prospects
Ross Chastain. Carson Hocevar. Kaden Honeycutt. What do they all have in common? They all truly put themselves on the radar as Cup Series-level talents while driving for Niece.
In 2019, Chastain won three times and made the Championship 4. Two years later, he was a full-time Cup driver. Hocevar spent three full years with the organization, breaking out in 2023 and jumping straight to Cup the following season. Honeycutt was able to parlay his strong 2025 season into a ride with TRICON Garage and is now one of the series title favorites.
Niece is not a team that is traditionally considered a powerhouse in the Truck Series, but the organization been as strong as any in the garage when it comes to identifying talent. Seldom have they ever hired "ride buyers", instead giving chances to those who have truly earned them.
Reif and Lewis are the next in line, and their resumes certainly check out. The former is a three-time ARCA Menards Series West winner, finishing second in points during both of his full seasons in 2023 and 2024. The latter is the 2025 CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour champion and has been waiting for a proper chance in the top three series for years.
Reif scored a top 10 finish in his Truck debut at Phoenix Raceway in 2025, although he has yet to do so this season. Lewis has earned top 10 finishes twice in three starts this year, and with Chastain out of available Truck Series starts, he is scheduled to drive the No. 45 Chevrolet for the rest of the season.
Both will have no shortage of opportunities to show what they're made of in the coming months. If they continue to build on their breakout performances from Coronado, full-time rides should be in their future.
Niece has found diamonds in the rough before, and on more than one occasion. It appears that the small-time organization has done it again, and with not one but two young drivers.
