BROOKLYN, Mich. — While Riley Herbst will look to 2.000-mile Michigan International Speedway and competing in this Sunday’s 200-lap FireKeepers Casino NASCAR Cup Series race, the 23XI Racing driver will enter the 15th Cup Series race of the season with the knowledge that he will not be returning to the No. 35 Mobster Energy Toyota in 2027.
Set to be replaced by Corey Heim in 2027, after two quick years at 23XI Racing, the native of Las Vegas, Nevada will be moving on.
“Our contract is up, so we’re moving on,” offered Herbst, currently slotted-in at 27th in NASCAR Cup Series points, with an average finishing position of 22.143. “Honestly, I’m grateful to Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan for giving me the opportunity to go Cup racing. It was a childhood dream. I’m excited for the future opportunities and the future ahead.”
Having joined the 23XI Racing organization at the launch of the 2025 Cup season following its acquisition of a third charter from the Stewart-Haas Racing outfit, Herbst is now ready to make an exodus from 23XI Racing and is good with it all.
“We’re doing really good, actually., Eric,” said Herbst on Friday, getting prepared to leave for Michigan International Speedway. “I’m in a good spot and I’m excited. I’m feeling great. I’m in North Carolina and I just got out of some meetings and we’re getting ready to go to Michigan. I’m looking forward to Michigan and we’re in a really good spot. We have fast race cars and good people.
Riley Herbst is coming off of a 17th-place finish in last Sunday’s Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.
“I thought we should have been a lot better than 17th,” said Herbst of his Guitar Town performance. “We had a pit road penalty on our final green flag stop and that took us out of contention for a top 10, but yeah, these results are better than last year and we’re getting better, so it’s good.”
Up this weekend for Herbst and the 23XI Racing organization will be Michigan International Speedway.
“Michigan is fast,” said Herbst. “Super-fast. You need a lot of grip there and a lot of downforce. Yes, we’re going to bring really fast race cars and hopefully we can go capitalize.”
Fourteen races and 3,643 laps into the 2026 2026 NASCAR Cup Series, Herbst is relatively pleased with his 27th position in the current Cup points table.
“We are substantially better than last year, right?” offered Herbst. “That’s a positive. Obviously, we had that little lull with Darlington and Martinsville where we were 35th, but yes, I think our speed is there and if we capitalize on these finishes, I think we can climb into the top 20 in points. I mean we’re looking for top 10s now. We’re excited for the future. I think we’ve really progressed well. I hope you can see that. I think we’ve really gotten better, and our speed is starting to show. I think we can take that next step forward.
Immediately following the Michigan race on Sunday will come the radically unique Cup events at Pocono Raceway, the Naval Base Coronado and Sonoma Raceway.
“Yes, this is a tough stretch, honestly,” explained Herbst of the three-race run. “These are very unique racetracks. Pocono is obviously a triangle. There will be a road course race on a Navy base, which is going to be crazy, and which will be such a cool atmosphere. Yes, it’s all going to be difficult, to say the least. We’re going to try to do the best we can at Michigan and stack some points and just head on to the next three weeks with an open mind. That’s how we have to look at it. Just being in the place that we are, we just want to take advantage of every opportunity that we have and trying to capitalize.”
Still remarkably early on in his Cup Series career, Herbst, who has competed in a mere 58 Cup races, is pleased with his progression at the sport’s elite level.
“I think that I am progressing. I hope there people see it. We’re a lot faster than we were last year. We’re making better moves than we did last year. Yeah, I’m just excited about everything. I’m extremely grateful to be where I am and to have these opportunities and now we just have to go capitalize. Yeah, it’s a difficult mind game, for sure, this NASCAR Cup Series. I think it’s a never ending battle. I think it’s a progress thing that you take steps towards every day and you’re never going to be perfect. I think my confidence level is at the highest level it has ever been and I’m excited to get to the racetrack each week If we finish the year in the top 20 in points, I’ll be really, really happy. That’s probably my main goal right now.”
With rumors of a potential team move by Riley Herbst lighting up the global motorsports media, Herbst mentioned that he and the people around him are exploring options.
“Not yet, but I think it’s pretty close,” answered Herbst of a potential move. “Yeah, there are a lot of good things in the works. Like I said, I’m grateful for where I am and where I have been and I’m excited for what’s to come. I should know something, hopefully, in the next month or so. We’re working on it right now.”
So bring on the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series for Riley Herbst?
“We hope so,” he said. “That’s the plan right now. I’m just excited for this upcoming weekend. I think we have a real opportunity here. I like Michigan. I won there in the lower series before. It’s super-fast. I think we can go get a top 10. The competition is stacked in this series and it’s just an honor to race these guys and to learn form them, to be honest. That’s how you get better and that’s how you become a winner.
“I’m confident, but more importantly, I’m just grateful. I have so much gratitude towards what I get to do each weekend and I don’t take that lightly. Hopefully we can capitalize on this opportunity and go make the most of it. Hopefully we can get inside that top 20 point finish at the end of the year. We’re a little bit out of it right now, but we have the speed capability to go do it.”
