UNC Charlotte Partners with NASCAR Truck Series Driver for Two-Race Deal

University of North Carolina (UNC) Charlotte is hitting the NASCAR scene for the first time and doing it in style. They recently struck a deal with Front Row Motorsports to display the university's branding on the No. 34 Ford F-150 driven by alumnus Layne Riggs. The truck will run in two NASCAR Truck Series races this May.

You can watch the truck at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17 and Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 23. It will be hard to miss, since the truck's paint scheme will match UNC Charlotte's signature colors.

"My education is something I take a lot of pride in," said Riggs in a team's press release. "When I started my journey at Charlotte, I put a big emphasis on taking what I learned in the classroom and applying it to my racing career, something I still do today driving for Front Row Motorsports," he further expressed.

The deal links Riggs' time on track with his academic path. While earning his mechanical engineering degree from UNC Charlotte in 2024, he also won the Truck Series Rookie of the Year award, proving you can excel both in class and on track.

"At UNC Charlotte, we don't just teach motorsports, we're crafting the future of racing. Layne Riggs is a shining example of what happens when you combine engineering expertise with passion and grit," stated Harish Cherukuri from the William States Lee College of Engineering.

After nine races this season, Riggs sits ninth in points. His top run came at Homestead-Miami, where he crossed the line in second place but was later disqualified after a post-race inspection. The 22-year-old driver has shown steady growth throughout the year.

Want to cheer him on? You can watch the North Wilkesboro race on FS1 or listen on SiriusXM channel 90. Green flag drops at 1:30 PM ET on May 17.