“Terrible Take”: NASCAR Fans Mock Latest Cup Entrant Riley Herbst’s Views on Thanksgiving Dinners, Connor Zilisch & Noah Gragson Chime In

During the 2024 NASCAR off-season, while many drivers are soaking up family time and indulging in traditional Thanksgiving dishes like turkey, potatoes, and cranberries, things are a bit different for Riley Herbst, the newest addition to the #35 Toyota team at 23XI Racing.

Eschewing the customary feast, Herbst took to social media to share his unconventional choice, posting a photo of himself enjoying tacos and what appeared to be lemon tea.

Just before that photo, he had posted another tweet declaring, “Thanksgiving food is not good.” The culinary confession didn’t sit right with fellow NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch, who chided Herbst on his official X handle, commenting, “Ur weird.”

While Riley Herbst could have dismissed Zilisch’s comment with a chuckle, he opted to throw a jab back, quipping, “Let me know when you’re 21 and can have a beer with me,” which looked like a taunt that Zilisch is still too young to comment such things. Herbst’s Thanksgiving taco feast raised eyebrows not only among his peers but also among NASCAR fans.

Thanksgiving food is not good pic.twitter.com/NQYhmnXKJg

— Riley Herbst (@rileyherbst) November 25, 2024

One fan playfully suggested, “You’re eating Thanksgiving at the wrong places, then brother lol,” hinting at Herbst’s unconventional meal choice. Another fan straightforwardly criticized his take, declaring, “Terrible take bro.”

Amidst the banter, one remarked about the unexpected post, “Riley bomb on this fine Sunday night,” while a Sportsnaut NASCAR journalist shared his unique tradition, “I have a Chicago style deep dish pizza on Thanksgiving policy.”

Noah Gragson caught a whiff of potential tension brewing between Herbst and Zilisch

In NASCAR, rivalries on the track are common, but openly calling out another driver is less typical—disputes are usually handled at high speeds on the asphalt. However, the exchange of barbs between Zilisch and Herbst caught the eye of former Stewart Haas Racing driver, Gragson, who quipped,

“Beef on Thanksgiving?”

While it might not escalate to a full-blown rivalry given the two would compete in different NASCAR tiers, Herbst’s pointed comeback signaled he was none too pleased with Zilisch’s jab at his culinary choices. With Zilisch currently competing in the Xfinity and Truck series, fans may have to bide their time to see if the spat turns into a trackside showdown.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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