After months of speculation, Riley Herbst has finally landed a Cup Series ride. The 25-year-old penned a new deal with 23XI Racing and will drive the No. 35 Toyota with Monster Energy as the primary sponsor. Fresh off his season finale victory at Phoenix Raceway, the former Stewart-Haas Racing driver will hope to hit the ground running at NASCAR’s highest level. However, does he have what it takes to compete against the sport’s heavyweights?

Amidst the drama surrounding the ongoing lawsuit, the team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan seems to be taking a gamble. Despite the Nevada native having the financial resources to justify his appointment, does he also have the talent to justify his place in a championship-contending team?

NASCAR insider questions Herbst’s place in 23XI Racing

Riley Herbst was an easy appointment. With Stewart-Haas Racing ceasing operations at the end of 2024, the racing driver was free to choose his next destination. The 25-year-old is a good role model, conducts himself impeccably, and has tremendous experience in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. However, the biggest plus point is that the Herbst family has invested significant financial resources behind him, while his sponsorship with Monster Energy is an attractive aspect for prospective racing teams. Moreover, with two wins in 2024 and seventh place in the driver standings, the performances in NASCAR’s second tier have been reasonably good as well.

However, is that enough to warrant a place in 23XI Racing? According to NASCAR Youtuber Eric Estepp, the answer is no. The content creator said, “If I can be candid his on-track results do not justify him getting this seat. 23XI Racing is a championship-contending Cup Series team as Tyler Reddick just proved and Riley Herbst isn’t even a championship-contending Xfinity Series driver and he’s been in top equipment for half a decade. Riley Herbst has three career Xfinity Series wins in 175 starts, all in top-tier equipment. I’m talking Gibbs, Stewart-Haas, never even been to the championship.”

Despite the ongoing lawsuit controversy, expectations will be higher from 23XI Racing in 2025 than ever before. Why would they not be? With Tyler Reddick making it to Championship 4, progress would mean going one step further and lifting the Bill France Cup in the next attempt. Even though Bubba Wallace has already been struggling to make it to the playoffs, Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s team have taken yet another gamble by appointing a driver who might not compete for the silverware at the end of the year.

Having made eight appearances in NASCAR’s highest level, will Riley Herbst take advantage of the equipment to finish higher than his career-best ninth-place result in Talladega? Time will tell. However, Estepp remains a skeptic, making his views clear by saying, “I just don’t think he’s as good as the equipment he’s about to get.” With 23XI Racing potentially fielding all three cars in the ‘open’ category, the Nevada native’s financial backing could provide some much-needed relief for his team, which might be a worthy tradeoff given the circumstances.

23XI have confidence in Riley Herbst

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In many ways, 23XI Racing’s rise in the Cup Series has been nothing short of sensational. In four years, the team has progressed far enough to become genuine title contenders, highlighting just how well Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin have managed their resources. However, the racing team has been in a period of uncertainty recently after taking NASCAR to court for ‘monopolistic practices’. Despite the status of their charters looking uncertain, they went on to appoint Riley Herbst as the team’s third driver ahead of the 2025 campaign.

It’s no secret that the 25-year-old comes from a family of means. Thanks to a chain of convenience stores, the racing driver has no shortage of financial resources or sponsors, most notably Monster Energy, which may have been a crucial factor in 23XI Racing’s decision when considering which driver will be needed to expand its Cup Series operations. Davin Restivo, who served as the Herbst’s crew chief from the middle of the previous season will be atop the pit box for the No. 35 Toyota driver during the 2025 campaign.

Expressing faith in Riley Herbst’s talent, 23XI team president Steve Lauletta said, “As 23XI enters our fifth season next year, we felt the time was right to continue the growth of our organization by adding a third team, and Riley is a driver we think will be a great fit for us. We have a very solid foundation with both Bubba and Tyler, and we know they will be a great resource for Riley as he begins his journey in the Cup Series.”

Will Riley Herbst step up and improve his performance in the NASCAR Cup Series during the 2025 season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!