How Tony Stewart’s Unfortunate Announcement Left Riley Herbst’s NASCAR Future Uncertain

Riley Herbst has the most reason to look forward to the 2025 Cup Series season. The 25-year-old has been chosen to drive the third full-time entry of 23XI Racing next year and will be under the able guidance of Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan. What more could a young driver want? But his mental state wasn’t as calm as it is now a few weeks back all thanks to Tony Stewart.

Herbst had been a driver in the Xfinity Series for Stewart-Haas Racing. The sudden announcement of the team’s impending closure came as a shock to him as it did to everyone else.

He admitted in a recent interview with Racer Magazine that it was indeed a tough phase for him to overcome. He said, “It was just because I didn’t know what was going to happen.”

“I know I had good people around me, but just the outcome was kind of uncertain. So that’s where the nervousness came from.” Fortunately, the difficult times did not last long. Herbst worked hard along with his team to find a good landing spot and was eventually rewarded with the best possible one.

He continued, “It’s been a heck of a process and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity that I have in front of me.”

This opportunity did not just land on his lap out of the blue. Herbst reached new career highs on the track this season. He won twice and finished seventh in the final driver standings.

The momentum that the 25-year-old ended the year with ought to provide him with strong confidence to make good use of the advanced machinery at 23XI Racing. He intends to do the same.

Herbst is left starstruck with his new Cup Series team

23XI Racing has become a hotshot team in an impressively short period of time. To take up a seat alongside high-caliber drivers like Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace is something Herbst eagerly looks forward to. 

The Las Vegas native says, “I thought that team was top-notch, and just to be mentioned in that name with that team is awesome, and hopefully we can capitalize on the opportunity now.” The youngster could thrive under the mentorship of drivers and icons who’ve seen a lot more successes and failures than him. 

From Jordan to Wallace, they will all have valuable lessons for Herbst to remember throughout his career. The price for this is simple. He will have to perform on the race track. As they have often made it clear — Hamlin and Jordan don’t accept mediocrity for an answer. Ever.