Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan’s newest recruit, Riley Herbst, who secured an impressive overall P7-place finish during last year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series season, encountered his first last-place finish in the sport’s top tier during last Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
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His #35 Toyota was involved in a multi-car accident after 98 of 312 laps, halting his run of finishing P17 last weekend. Despite the setback, Herbst maintained a practical outlook on his expectations for his full-time debut in the Cup Series.
In the lead-up to the race in Las Vegas, during a media session, the Hamlin and Jordan protege was questioned about his goals for the remainder of the season.
He responded, “The biggest thing is to finish the race. You don’t get any points if you don’t finish. I think that is what kind of put us in a big hole from this past weekend at Phoenix, but quite honestly, I don’t think anyone is micromanaging the points by any means. That is not our objective.”
Herbst articulated that his team’s primary goal is to enhance their performance week by week, aiming to compete more fiercely in each race. He emphasized that occasional setbacks are not of great concern, noting, “Nobody is too concerned about the point standings four weeks in by any means.”
He acknowledged that the races up until now have served as a progress check, identifying areas where he and his crew needs to improve, sharpen their skills, and accelerate their pace.
Reflecting on his three consistent P17 finishes at Daytona, Atlanta, and COTA, Herbst recognized both strengths and weaknesses in their performance. He noted that while certain objectives have been met, critical areas remain that require further improvement.
Herbst comments on his adjustment period between Xfinity and Cup
Owing to the difference between NASCAR Cup cars (Next Gen) and Xfinity cars, many drivers who have shone in the Xfinity Series find themselves grappling with challenges in the premier series.
This is not solely due to the sheer amount of talented drivers but also because of the complexities inherent in piloting Next Gen cars. Even veteran drivers are in the process of adjusting to these nuances. When queried about his version of the adaptation to the Cup series, Herbst shared:
“It has been a lot of fun, honestly. I feel like it has gone okay the first three weeks as well. Just some solid finishes. Obviously, last week was unfortunate, but the jump is tremendous, and everyone tells you about it.”
“I’ve surrounded myself with really good people at 23XI and really good mentors with Denny (Hamlin), Tyler (Reddick), and Bubba (Wallace),” he added.
Herbst also expressed satisfaction with his performance thus far. As he looks forward to the upcoming race in Las Vegas, he anticipates that the mile-and-a-half track will present new challenges.
For now, he is embracing the journey, relishing each week and the novel aspects it brings. He also praised the fellowship and support within 23XI Racing, which has helped him acclimate and lay a solid foundation for his career.
