NASCAR: 3 candidates for 23XI Racing expansion in 2025
By Randy Smith
No. 2 - Riley Herbst
Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass has reported that Riley Herbst could be a driver to watch if 23XI Racing field a third full-time car in 2025. Herbst has spent time with Toyota before, doing so from 2017 to 2020 when he competed for Joe Gibbs Racing in the ARCA Menards Series and Xfinity Series and for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series.
While the Las Vegas, Nevada native scored two victories in the ARCA Menards Series, he never replicated that success in the Xfinity Series or the Truck Series while with Toyota.
In 2021, Herbst switched to Ford, joining Stewart-Haas Racing's Xfinity Series program to pilot the No. 98 car. He scored his first career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2023.
Herbst has stated that he has options in all three NASCAR national series for next season, but 23XI Racing would likely be his best, if presented with the opportunity.
He would bring sponsorship from Monster Energy, which has sponsored him throughout his NASCAR career. Additionally, the company is familiar with 23XI Racing, as they sponsored the No. 45 Toyota when Kurt Busch joined the team in 2022, and they stayed on to sponsor Reddick when he joined in 2023.
Of course, Herbst could stay in the Xfinity Series and continue to gain experience and compete for wins, or drop back down to the Truck Series in the hopes of dominating, but an offer from 23XI Racing would be too tempting to turn down.
On 23XI Racing's end, it has been clear that if Hamlin and company have a driver in mind, they will relentlessly pursue him. After all, the team bought Reddick out of his contract with Richard Childress Racing a year early. Is Herbst their next target?