In the highly competitive world of NASCAR, not minutes, but seconds, can change the trajectory of a driver’s career. Riley Herbst had his moment after a rather chaotic race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway! In a thrilling finish, it almost cost him the win, as the Stewart-Haas Racing driver found himself battling against Aric Almirola in front of him, while his teammate Cole Custer was hot on his tail, just before taking the checkered flag. But the question stands, was this win just a flash in the pan, or does it signal that he’s ready to compete with the best?

How Riley’s sideways ordeal led to triumph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Riley Herbst‘s win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was anything but straightforward, quite literally speaking. Navigating this final-second tricky situation seemed close to impossible as one wrong move could have easily derailed any chances of winning by a mile, but it was Herbst’s quick thinking that ultimately led him to victory! It all started when Herbst encountered a slight run-in with the former Stewart–Haas racing No. 10 driver, a few laps into the race, the impact causing him to run a little loose already.

So once the race began to reach its climax, Herbst found himself in a sticky situation with the No. 20 car too close in front of him. He knew that getting too close could lead to disaster, especially since Almirola had already side-drafted him once. However, as he gained speed down the backstretch, the adrenaline kicked in for the No. 98 driver, and he felt compelled to push his luck. Ignoring his earlier decision to play it safe, he aimed to capitalize on the momentum he had built because, hey, what’s a little thrill without risk?

In his own words, Herbst described his thoughts as he ran the final lap of the race, “I thought it was over but, I just kind of cranked it to the right and stayed in at wide open and it just corrected itself and I was like, ‘oh my gosh, we just won at the Brickyard!’”

“Yeah, there was the slightest bit of contact just on my right front tire from me trying to hold him out and from him trying to turn in from the corner, that’s what got me sideways. Man,” he sighed in relief on the Speed Street pod. Securing this victory not only marked his second win in the Xfinity Series but also increased his points and pushed his rank from 7th to 5th in the standings, putting him in a solid position for the upcoming playoffs!

“It’s fun, it’s fun. I’m going to go drink a beer and turn my phone on. This is iconic,” Herbst said just after the race. To say that Riley is riding high is an understatement, he is fueled by the excitement of the victory at one of the most iconic racetracks in the world and if he makes it to the big league, the question around his uncertain future might just answer itself!

Could Riley Herbst make it to the playoffs?

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While one race alone shouldn’t define a driver’s career, it certainly adds a new layer to his narrative. With the momentum from this win, Herbst has now positioned himself as a serious contender for the playoffs. Not only that, but the SHR driver may even secure a Cup Series seat for himself for the 2025 season alongside the Haas Factory Team!

Sure, some might say that one win doesn’t make just any driver a Cup-level talent, but Riley Herbst has shown he can compete with the best. He’s had a solid season so far, by racking up impressive finishes and proving he can handle the pressure just as he displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Nonetheless, the transition to the Cup Series is a big step, and there are always going to be questions about whether one can handle the increased competition or not. But if he can continue to build on his recent success and keep pushing, Riley could very well find himself behind the wheel of a Cup car sooner rather than later.

The excitement is palpable, and everyone’s eager to see what the future holds for him in NASCAR.