Riley Herbst
Former Xfinity Series regular who transitioned to full-time Cup competition, driving the No. 35 Toyota for 23XI Racing.
About Riley Herbst
Riley Herbst brings 40 Cup starts alongside extensive Xfinity and Trucks experience to a young career that is still finding its footing and building momentum at NASCAR's highest competitive level. The Las Vegas, Nevada native has competed across all three national touring series, gaining the breadth of experience and the depth of racecraft necessary to develop into a complete Cup competitor capable of contending with the sport's best. Herbst's Xfinity tenure provided the essential foundation for his Cup ambitions, with competitive performances and the kind of incremental, measurable improvement each season that signals a driver still on the rising portion of his development curve. His transition to Cup racing represents the next significant challenge in a career built deliberately on steady progression rather than premature advancement. His racing style reflects a driver learning to balance the aggression needed to compete at the Cup level with the strategic patience that long-distance stock car racing demands from even the most talented competitors. Each start brings new lessons, new data to analyze, and new confidence that adds strength to the foundation being constructed beneath his growing abilities and expanding understanding of the sport. The path to Cup success requires time, investment, and unwavering commitment, and Herbst is investing that time wisely, building the skills, the team relationships, and the professional reputation that will determine the trajectory of his career in the critical years ahead.
Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference

Performance Profile
2026 Season
Best Tracks
Riley Herbst's best track is Phoenix Raceway with 1 win and a 14.9 average finish in 12 races.
| Track | Races | Avg Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Raceway | 12 | 14.9 |
| Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 14 | 16.2 |
| Kentucky Speedway | 3 | 7.7 |
| Nashville Superspeedway | 5 | 9 |
| Road America | 4 | 10.5 |
Recent Results
Riley Herbst's most recent 20 race results across multiple series.
| Date | Series | Race | Start | Finish | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10 | Cup | Go Bowling at The Glen | 32 | 26 | +6 |
| May 3 | Cup | Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY | 18 | 11 | +7 |
| Apr 26 | Cup | Jack Link's 500 | 17 | 25 | -8 |
| Apr 19 | Cup | AdventHealth 400 | 22 | 14 | +8 |
| Apr 12 | Cup | Food City 500 | 4 | 21 | -17 |
| Mar 29 | Cup | Cook Out 400 | 26 | 35 | -9 |
| Mar 22 | Cup | Goodyear 400 | 14 | 35 | -21 |
| Mar 15 | Cup | Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube | 20 | 23 | -3 |
| Mar 8 | Cup | Straight Talk Wireless 500 | 22 | 18 | +4 |
| Mar 1 | Cup | DuraMax Grand Prix | 32 | 23 | +9 |
| Feb 22 | Cup | Autotrader 400 | 8 | 33 | -25 |
| Feb 15 | Cup | Daytona 500 | 28 | 8 | +20 |
| Feb 12 | Cup | America 250 Florida Duel 2 | 15 | 13 | +2 |
| Nov 2 | Cup | NASCAR Cup Series Championship | 32 | 23 | +9 |
| Oct 26 | Cup | Xfinity 500 | 25 | 36 | -11 |
| Oct 19 | Cup | YellaWood 500 | 9 | 32 | -23 |
| Oct 5 | Cup | Bank of America ROVAL 400 | 23 | 37 | -14 |
| Sep 28 | Cup | Hollywood Casino 400 | 32 | 22 | +10 |
| Sep 21 | Cup | Mobil 1 301 | 25 | 22 | +3 |
| Sep 7 | Cup | Enjoy Illinois 300 | 33 | 31 | +2 |
Year-by-Year Results
Riley Herbst has competed in 17 combined seasons, with a career average finish of 22.
| Season | Series | Races | Wins | Avg Start | Avg Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Cup | 13 | 0 | 19.85 | 21.92 |
| 2025 | Cup | 34 | 0 | 26.76 | 26.91 |
| 2025 | O'Reilly | 4 | 0 | 16.75 | 14.25 |
| 2024 | Cup | 3 | 0 | — | 35.00 |
| 2024 | O'Reilly | 33 | 2 | 10.03 | 14.85 |
| 2023 | Cup | 4 | 0 | 9.50 | 19.25 |
| 2023 | O'Reilly | 33 | 1 | 10.42 | 14.94 |
| 2022 | O'Reilly | 33 | 0 | 13.58 | 13.03 |
| 2022 | Trucks | 2 | 0 | 7.50 | 12.00 |
| 2021 | O'Reilly | 33 | 0 | 13.27 | 17.06 |
| 2021 | Trucks | 1 | 0 | 25.00 | 5.00 |
| 2020 | O'Reilly | 33 | 0 | 11.30 | 15.97 |
| 2020 | Trucks | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | 12.00 |
| 2019 | O'Reilly | 9 | 0 | 11.00 | 16.89 |
| 2019 | Trucks | 3 | 0 | 14.67 | 9.00 |
| 2018 | O'Reilly | 1 | 0 | 9.00 | 6.00 |
| 2018 | Trucks | 4 | 0 | 15.00 | 16.75 |
NR-Rating Elo Ratings
Related Drivers
| Name | Relation |
|---|---|
| Corey Heim | Teammate |
| Tyler Reddick | Teammate |
| Bubba Wallace | Teammate |
| Christopher Bell | Same Mfr |
| Chase Briscoe | Same Mfr |
| Harrison Burton | Same Mfr |
| Matt Crafton | Same Mfr |
| Stewart Friesen | Same Mfr |
| Ty Gibbs | Same Mfr |
| Taylor Gray | Same Mfr |
| Denny Hamlin | Same Mfr |
| Timmy Hill | Same Mfr |
Penalties & Infractions
| Season | Race | Fine | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Homestead-Miami (NXS) | $50,000 |