Riley Herbst overcomes a three-way battle to secure his second Xfinity career win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Herbst won the Pennzoil 250 by chasing down his teammate Cole Custer in the final few laps and then again repeating the same against Aric Almirola. With this victory, the Stewart Haas Racing driver has secured his playoff spot.

Herbst credited this win to his crew members, who stuck by him despite the news of SHR closing down at the end of this season. “It’s been a pretty tough week for me mentally, to be honest with you. So proud of these guys, and proud of Stewart Haas Racing. Obviously, the news of us shutting down these guys could’ve given up on me, gone to different teams, but they stuck behind me and Cole. That’s back-to-back wins for Stewart Haas Racing.”

While many just dream of competing in a race at the hallowed racetrack, Herbst was feeling ecstatic after winning the race. He said, “Yeah, this is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Every person in the world wants to race here, and I won here. I don’t care if it’s the Xfinity Series, the Cup Series, or the go-kart track out back. This is the Brickyard; this is Indianapolis. This is the coolest racetrack in the world.”

With this win, Riley Herbst might have potentially opened up a door for multiple opportunities for the next season. It will be interesting to see his next career move, whether he decides to stick with the new team in Xfinity or look to level up in the Cup Series.

Herbst to follow in Cole Custer’s footsteps to elevate to the Cup Series?

The NASCAR silly season has seen a lot of shuffling thanks to SHR’s exit from NASCAR racing. The domino effect started off with the sale of their charters. One was retained by Gene Haas, naming it Haas Factory Team, which would see Custer promoted to Cup racing back in 2025.

Front Row Motorsports secured a charter from SHR to expand to a three-car team. But 23XI Racing is on a hunt to add another charter themselves, and this move could aid Riley Herbst’s entry into the Cup Series. NASCAR Insider did share his take on this potential move and suggested that the driver could be headed to AirSpeed next season if they purchase a charter.

It is important to note that 23XI Racing already has ties with Monster Energy, and Herbst is supported by them. This further eases his entry into the team, with the backing of an anchor sponsor. Although Corey Heim was thrown into the mix, but the win at Brickyard probably seals the deal in favor of the SHR driver.

Haas Factory Team has offered Herbst a seat to drive for them in 2025, but he has yet to accept that offer. This only suggests that he is exploring opportunities in the Cup Series, and 23XI Racing could be his next destination.