After 31 races and 7,752 laps run along the way during the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, 23XI Racing driver Riley Herbst has powered to three top 10 finishes, an average finishing position of 23.2 and the 30th position in the NASCAR Cup Series standings.
In only his second full-time NASCAR Cup Series season, the 27-year-old Las Vegas driver has utilized the 2026 campaign to continue to learn, grow and research and develop himself in the No. 35 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE.
A man on the move in 2027 as Herbst will gravitate over to the new race organization he will line up for – Legacy Motor Club – the young Cup competitor certainly has a lot swirling around him. With only five Cup Series races left to be run this year, Herbst is keen to post up another top 10 finish and to exit the 23XI Racing organization with a smile on his face. On Friday morning, Herbst weighed in from Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“We’re just in Charlotte for the upcoming race here this weekend. We’re getting final preparations done. We’re looking forward to this upcoming weekend. Yeah, the grind of the year is definitely coming to an end a little bit,” Herbst said. “Charlotte is a really fun race track. Obviously it is in the heart of NASCAR country, so everybody wants to perform well at this one. It’s interesting because we haven’t been on the oval in the autumn time in quite some time. I’m looking forward to getting back on the oval here and having some fun.”
Herbst will not miss the 2.32-mile, 17-turn reconfiguration of the Charlotte Motor Speedway infield and oval.
“No. No, I won’t miss the Roval,” declared Herbst. “Not many of us our too much of fans of the Roval, so I think we’re all glad to see that gone.”
With five Cup races left to be run beginning with Charlotte this Sunday, Herbst dialed-in where he and the team want to be along the way.
“We obviously want to finish off strong,” he said. “I thought last weekend in Vegas was a solid run for us. We had top 10 potential, for sure. We just had some execution miscues which cost us a few spots. We ended up 18h and I thought our speed was there. Hopefully, if we continue to bring that pace for the next five weeks, it will be a solid end of the year.
“I want another top 10 finish. There are a lot of solid tracks coming up for us in this final five. Charlotte is great. We love Phoenix and Homestead is really fun, as well, so I think we have the capability to do thar, for sure. I also think we can go win at Talladega, for sure. That’s always in the cards. It’s such a fun atmosphere down there in Alabama and it’s a lot more fun when you have a really fast car like we do.
“We’re all in it together. All of us, and collectively as a group, we’re here to finish off strong. Once that’s over with, then we can kind of look forward. Our mindset is on these final five races and just trying to figure out how we can execute to the best of our ability and finish strong.”
Word came in early September that Riley Herbst would be gracefully be exiting 23XI Racing to shuffle over Legacy Motor Club for 2027.
“Jimmie s such a good dude, as you probably know,” Herbst said. “He’s just a true racer and genuinely a good dude. I’m excited to join his team and start the future. He is, honestly, one of my childhood heroes, so to hear him say stuff like that is amazing. Hopefully we can go to work and make him proud and make everybody over there proud.”
Herbst has a long relationship with Toyota.
“Such a Class A organization and a Class A manufacturer,” nodded Herbst. “I’m excited to stay in that family and to continue driving for a Toyota team.”
The move to Legacy is now upon Herbst and he’s thrilled about it.
“Yeah, it’s obviously a huge move. It’s a very cool opportunity. I’m still thrilled and excited for the opportunity,” Herbst said. “It’s exciting because Jimmie is building something special and hopefully, we can be a part of it and take it to the top. Yes, there is pressure, but that’s the sport were in, so that’s an exciting feeling. Hopefully, we can take it to the top where the team belongs. It should be a big year for us. We have all the tools we need. We have a great team owner and a great team. I’m excited for the new chapter and the new challenge and getting to work with everybody over there.
“It’s awesome. I mean if you take a step back Eric, there are only 36 of these people in the world to drive Cup cars on Sunday, so to be one of the 36 is truly a dream come true. I’m just so grateful for the opportunity and hopefully we can continue the growth and I’m thrilled to be finishing up my second full-time Cup season and I want to continue to rise to where we want to be and that’s in victory lane.”
Can he win a Cup race in 2027?
“I think so. I think we’re going in the right direction with the right energy and the right people, so I think anything is possible.”
