The Indianapolis Xfinity race had an unexpected result. Riley Herbst won the race, making the conversation around his future even more interesting. Currently, there are a few parties that would like to have him on board. Even the Haas Factory Team wants to keep him, despite Tony Stewart‘s exit. However, that might not be the best option for him, as a full-time seat opportunity seems to be knocking at the door.

After Herbst’s win at Indianapolis, Denny Hamlin made a tweet stating that he was impressed with his performance. The second the tweet touched the internet, fans did what they do best and started predicting where the driver of the No. 98 Mustang would end up next. With the tweet pointing towards a possible chance of 23XI Racing hiring to promote Herbst into the Cup Series, many have questions for Hamlin. On the Cup Scene YouTube channel, Denny Hamlin spoke about heading into his home race, and the tweet talks surfaced again. Here is what Denny Hamlin had to say.

The video uploaded to the Cup Scene YouTube channel was from the pre-race presser with Denny Hamlin at Richmond Raceway on Saturday. That’s where he was asked the question, “After Riley Herbst won in Indianapolis, you tweeted that he was impressive. So, I’m curious: What stands out about Riley Herbst that makes him so impressive to you?”

It’s no doubt that Herbst’s performance was far from ordinary. He managed to clinch the win, and Denny Hamlin did notice. The 23XI Racing co-boss answered, “Well, I was more speaking to the race itself and Riley’s moves. The combination of the two was just super impressive.”

Early into the race, Riley Herbst took the lead from his teammate Cole Custer and managed to finish Stage 1 at P1. Stage two was a different story, though, as Herbst fell to P3 with Ryan Sieg and Aric Almirola taking the lead. Herbst ultimately won the race, as he had everyone sitting at the edge of their seats.

Just like Denny Hamlin explained, “I mean, I was on the edge of my seat, kind of watching that race, and, you know, seeing how it was all playing out in the last five laps or so. I thought that he made some great moves, made great decisions, and controlled his car well. So, I just thought it was very, very impressive.” 

Although Riley Herbst’s performance was impressive and 23XI Racing is hiring, Hamlin did not drop any information on signing him. What he did talk about was the upcoming race at Richmond, which also happens to be his home race.

Denny Hamlin on the upcoming Federated Auto Parts 400

Everyone knows that a home race is very special to a driver. But when you have been racing for around 2 decades, the feeling might change. Building on this thought, a reporter asked Denny Hamlin, “Do you still get sentimental this week when you come back home to Richmond, or after all these years, is it just kind of another race for you?”

“No, it’s definitely not another race,” explained Hamlin. For Denny Hamlin, racing at Richmond is more than just another event on the NASCAR calendar. It’s a race filled with sentiments as his family and friends come down to see him. Being a hometown tracker, Hamlin feels a strong connection to Richmond, making him push himself harder to perform well in front of his people.

As Hamlin is busy being on the road, it’s hard for him to make time to head back to Richmond to catch up with people, and this race is a perfect opportunity for that. Concluding his statement, he said, “It’s a special track. I mean, it’s crazy; over the years, it still drives the exact same as it did, I feel like, in my rookie season 20 years ago.”

While Denny Hamlin is not making any announcements about who will be driving for 23XI Racing, you can drop your predictions as to whether Riley Herbst will make it into the Cup series next year. Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.