Riley Herbst, who is in his first season competing full-time for 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, returned to Joe Gibbs Racing's Xfinity Series team after five years earlier this season in the March race at Circuit of the Americas, and he has since made three additional appearances.
After a 13th place finish at COTA, he finished in third at Texas Motor Speedway in May and fifth at Sonoma Raceway in July. He was knocked out of the race at Watkins Glen International two weekends ago with an engine issue in his No. 19 Toyota.
The Xfinity Series had off this past weekend, while the Cup Series and Truck Series were both in action at Richmond Raceway, but it is set to be back in action this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. Herbst, however, won't be back in the No. 19 car.
Riley Herbst replacement confirmed for Daytona
The No. 19 car is Joe Gibbs Racing's "star car", which they run full-time alongside the No. 18 Toyota for rookie William Sawalich, the No. 20 Toyota for veteran Brandon Jones, and the No. 54 Toyota for rookie Taylor Gray. So far this season, seven drivers have had the opportunity to drive it, with Herbst's four starts ranking third.
Leading the way with nine starts in the No. 19 car so far this year is Aric Almirola, who most recently competed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month, when he was viciously wrecked out by a hook to the right rear from Richard Childress Racing's Austin Hill, a move for which Hill was predictably suspended.
Almirola is set to return and make his 10th start of the year in this coming Friday night's 100-lap Wawa 250 around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval.
Almirola has scored four top three finishes in nine starts so far this season, including a victory at Phoenix Raceway back in March. He is not currently lined up to run any more races beyond this weekend, but the No. 19 car does still need a driver for five of the nine remaining races.
The 41-year-old Fort Walton Beach, Florida native has two career wins at Daytona, one in the Cup Series in 2014 and another in the Xfinity Series in 2016.
The CW Network is set to provide live coverage of the Wawa 250 from Daytona International Speedway starting at 7:30 p.m. ET this Friday, August 22. Start a free trial of FuboTV beforehand if you have not yet had the opportunity to do so!