After Stewart-Haas Racing’s mid-season revelation left a silly-season upheaval, caught in the scramble for a third charter are several teams. But amid the various names, one team stands tall, with lofty ambitions and a new (albeit empty) building ready with a third garage. Yes, we’re talking about 23XI Racing, that has been touted to expand come next season.

And, at the heart of this battle lies Riley Herbst and Corey Heim, whose futures could be shaped by the outcome of this high-stakes game of NASCAR’s musical chairs.

Riley Herbst fills all the gaps

Riley Herbst, a promising young driver, recently made waves in the Xfinity Series, when he won his career-second race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 24-year-old driver currently competes as a full-time driver for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), and has definitely caught the attention of the 23XI Racing co-owners Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.

While none of the parties have made any public statements till now, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s recent social media activity certainly fueled the fire. After Herbst made an impressive last-lap pass on Aric Almirola to clinch his first victory and ninth Top-10 finish of the season, Hamlin tweet just one word: “Impressive”.

Moreover, Herbst’s strong relationship with Monster Energy—23XI Racing’s key partner, and #45 driver Tyler Reddick’s sponsor—makes him a truly attractive option for the team. Even Lee Spencer, a SiriusXM NASCAR journalist, had the same opinion.

“Riley Herbst has the Monster sponsorship. You would have all that in-house. A nice little package between Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI… Monster (Energy) would all be there. So, that’s kind of the little bits and pieces,” she said. Notably, Monster Energy also sponsors JGR driver Ty Gibbs. On the other hand, the Joe Gibbs-owned team has had a technical alliance with 23XI Racing since 2021.

Even Herbst himself indicated how the beverage company’s position would matter in his future Cup Series ambitions.

“I think there’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes, but it’s not really just Riley Herbst, it’s Monster Energy as well. The biggest thing is trying to see what’s right for me, what’s right for Monster Energy,” the SHR driver said, as per NASCAR.com.

On the other hand, Corey Heim is not be ignored either, especially when his potential future team owner didn’t mince his words when appreciating his talent.

Is Corey Heim the missing piece for 23XI Racing’s third car puzzle?

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“I think he is wise beyond his age; he is 21 years old, and he drives like he’s 35,” Denny Hamlin said when talking about Corey Heim, before continuing, “I just see a lot of real big potential with him. I mean, his racecraft—I mean, I was 21 years old; I was bending up fenders on my mini stock. I mean, I wasn’t nearly where he is, you know, in my career at his age.” Notably, the 22-year-old is currently a reserve for 23XI Racing, and recently drove at Nashville, finishing P29.

Furthermore, the team owner further solidified his support by saying, “23XI certainly likes Cory. We got to run him at at Nashville just a few weeks ago. He legitimately drove up right to the top 10…so yes I I think he is someone that is going to win a ton of races and championships in NASCAR in the future.”

Moreover, Heim’s ties to Toyota Racing are a significant advantage for 23XI Racing. He is currently a Toyota Development Driver and has been making waves in the NASCAR Truck Series, where he won the regular season championship in 2023 and has seven career victories to his name. He has also made select starts in the Xfinity Series for Sam Hunt Racing, a Toyota-affiliated team.

Since Toyota’s support and resources are crucial for 23XI’s expansion plans, this move would further solidify Heim’s relationship with them, and could also pave the way for him to become a full-time driver for the team in the future!

However, according to NASCAR insiders like FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, “With the team already having a Monster Energy relationship, adding Riley Herbst and his Monster deal would make sense. Corey Heim is the team’s driver of the future, but he might be a year or two away from being fully Cup ready.”

As 23XI Racing prepares for a pivotal moment in its growth, the excitement surrounding the potential addition of a third car is palpable. The upcoming races will be crucial for both Herbst and Heim as they showcase their skills and vie for a permanent spot in the Cup Series. Fans should stay tuned as this thrilling chapter in NASCAR unfolds and be ready to cheer on their favorite drivers as they chase their dreams on the racetrack!