Scott Riggs happy with young RAB Racing’s start

By Bob Pockrass

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Scott Riggs sits 10th in points after three Nationwide Series races.

Jim Fluharty
NASCAR Illustrated

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Scott Riggs is a veteran driver with a young team that is still seeking sponsorship for 2010.

And with the exception of the funding issues, that’s fine with him.

Riggs, who has 175 career Sprint Cup starts but sat out much of the 2009 season without a ride, sits 10th in the Nationwide Series standings. His RAB Racing team, owned by Robby Benton and Brack Maggard, is 12th in the owner standings three races into 2010 after finishing 32nd a year earlier.

That 2009 season was rough on the organization as rookie John Wes Townley struggled. And while Townley’s struggles kept the team busy building new cars or repairing others, what Riggs sees in the team today is a group that’s not beaten down.

“It makes it fun because we are the underdog, we are up against big odds and we’re still marching forward getting closer and closer to being a competitor [with the top teams],” Riggs said in a phone interview. “I’ve had fun. I’m more relaxed [with] not so much pressure, not so much stress, not so much huge expectations on even myself.

“Sitting out as long as I did last year gave me a lot of time to reflect and have a lot different perspective no matter where I went. To be here with a bunch of young kids that are very enthusiastic and not burned out and being on the road is fine with them, it’s big fun.”

When he went to the shop prior to the season, Riggs said he wasn’t prepared for what he saw.

“As many cars as they wrecked last year, to come here and see 11 cars put together ready to go, that made me feel good about it,” Riggs said. “They weren’t sitting here with people walking around the shop not doing anything, wondering if they were going to have a job tomorrow. They were talking about pull-down rigs and going to the wind tunnel and what cars they were going to run where.

“Even though they didn’t have a sponsor and a driver announced yet, they were getting ready to go to the race track.”

The team still does not have sponsorship, and Riggs’ fans have even banded together to do a fan-sponsored car for the April 3 race at Nashville. Fans can have their name placed on the car for $100 through a donation on RAB Racing’s Web site.

“That’s the coolest thing,” Riggs said. “For my fans who watched me sit out of the race car for so long last year and come back and put themselves together as a unit to come together work on a package like this to help me and the team, it’s probably the most humbling thing I ever experienced.”

As far as funding for the rest of the season, Riggs said talks continue, and there have been a few companies that have contacted the organization and has Riggs optimistic.

“Everyone is young and ambitious and enthusiastic and I think they’re pretty happy with what’s going on,” Riggs said. “We’ve learned a lot in the first three races with each other. We were heads and tails better from California to Vegas.

“The team feels good about it. This is a lot better position for them from where they were last year and getting better results. For me, personally, of course I’m a driver, I want to be better. I think we should be better. I think that we have more potential to be better and I think we’re learning a lot every week; we’re getting better every week.”