Riggs Seeks Redemption at Atlanta

ATLANTA (March 7, 2008) -- Scott Riggs and the No. 66 State Water Heaters team will take to the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend seeking redemption for a promising run gone sour at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend.

Riggs had been running in the Top-10 throughout the day at LVMS before damage from a spin put him laps down and in line for a 36th-place finish. “We had a very good race car last week and despite the outcome we proved that we can be competitive on an intermediate track,” Riggs said. “This really helps our confidence heading into Atlanta.”

In seven starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway Riggs has one Top-10, a 9th-place finish in March 2005. His average start here is 22nd and his average finish is 25th.

“Atlanta is a fast track where tires wear quickly,” Riggs said. “It’s a long race and to be competitive at the end tire management will be a key factor. We need to be set up well for long runs with a balanced car that allows us to gain good entry into the corners and rotates well through the center of the turns with little or no throttle lifting,” he added.

Riggs and his teammates will be carrying the memory of Garrett Reid Toney in their thoughts and prayers this weekend. The 2-month-old son of lead engineer Jonathan Toney passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday.

“As a team, we are all devastated by the death of Jonathan’s son,” Riggs said. “When you spend as much time together as we do in this sport the team really is like a family -- and this hurts. Garrett, Jonathan and the entire Toney family will be in our hearts.”

Sunday’s running of the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be broadcast live on Fox beginning at 2 p.m. EST and on local PRN radio affiliates.