HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — 23XI Racing is set to expand with a third full-time NASCAR Cup Series entry and its newest team member, Riley Herbst.
Herbst, who recently concluded the NASCAR Xfinity Series season driving the No. 98 Monster Energy car for Stewart-Haas Racing, will pilot the No. 35 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE when the Cup Series season begins.
Building on the success of its existing two-car lineup, the expansion marks a significant milestone for 23XI Racing, which continues to grow its impact in the sport since debuting in 2021.
Herbst, who has eight career Cup Series starts, will embark on his rookie campaign in NASCAR’s top series in 2025 alongside veteran teammates Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick. The move to full-time Cup Series racing comes after several years of competing in the Xfinity Series.
Since 2018, Herbst has 175 starts in the Xfinity Series, three career wins and playoff appearances in four of his five full-time seasons. His first career win came in the fall race last season at his home track, Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Herbst also won earlier this year at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway and capped off the year with a win at the season finale in Phoenix. The move marks a reunion between Toyota and Herbst, who started his Xfinity career at Joe Gibbs Racing.
“It’s an honor to join 23XI and Toyota for the opportunity to race in the Cup Series each week,” said Herbst. “Racing full-time in the Cup Series has been my goal since I started in NASCAR and I’m excited to start my Cup career with such an accomplished and driven team. What 23XI has accomplished in a short time is impressive and I look forward to building on their success as the organization grows. It’s also great to continue representing Monster and I’m excited about adding to their legacy in NASCAR.”
“As 23XI enters our fifth season next year, we felt the time was right to continue the growth of our organization by adding a third team, and Riley is a driver we think will be a great fit for us,” said Steve Lauletta, 23XI Team President. “We have a very solid foundation with both Bubba and Tyler, and we know they will be a great resource for Riley as he begins his journey in the Cup Series.”
“Riley Herbst has built his career with Monster Energy and he is part of the Family,” said Mitch Covington, Monster Energy’s SVP of Sports Marketing. “From his ascent to championship-caliber driver in the Xfinity Series to his next step into the premier NASCAR Cup Series, Monster and Riley have been in it together – and we are just thrilled to power into this phase of his incredible career with him.”
Monster Energy, a longtime partner with Herbst, will be the primary sponsor on the No. 35 Toyota Camry. With a long history in NASCAR, dating back to their first race in 2004, Monster is no stranger to racing fans and embodies much of the passion that drivers and fans bring to the sport. Herbst has represented the brand in various series for almost ten years and will add to Monster’s current representation at 23XI.
“Everyone at TRD is pleased to support 23XI Racing as they continue to grow their program in the NASCAR Cup Series with the addition of Riley Herbst in a third full-time entry for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season,” Tyler Gibbs, general manager, TRD U.S.A. said. “Having worked with Riley in the past, we have watched his growth over the last several seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. We look forward to Riley rejoining the Toyota family and supporting him achieve his goals next year and into the future.”
The No. 35 team will be led by Davin Restivo, Herbst’s crew chief from the No. 98 team. Restivo assumed crew chief duties with Herbst at the midpoint of last season and has guided the team to three wins and a berth in the 2024 Xfinity playoffs. A
fter starting with NTS Motorsports in the Truck Series in 2013, Restivo served as a race engineer for several teams, including Turner-Scott Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing, before joining Stewart-Haas Racing to work as a lead engineer with one of their Cup teams.