It seems like Riley Herbst is stuck in limbo. Despite being linked to 23XI Racing, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver is currently without a seat for 2025 as uncertainty continues to grow amidst the ongoing charter lawsuit. The 25-year-old is an attractive Cup Series prospect, not just because of his victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway earlier this year but also due to his lucrative sponsorship with Monster Energy. With financial backing playing a major role in securing a NASCAR future, could Herbst’s future be resolved soon?

Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin certainly seem to think so. Having agreed to buy a third charter from Stewart-Haas Racing, Riley Herbst remains a leading candidate for 23XI Racing despite the ongoing anti-trust lawsuit delaying the announcement.

Riley Herbst expected to join 23XI Racing

Riley Herbst raised plenty of eyebrows when he entered the NASCAR world. The Nevada native was touted as just another rich kid who was hoping to make it in the competitive world of stock car racing. Thanks to the financial backing of his businessman grandfather Jerry Herbst and the high-profile sponsorships with companies such as Monster Energy and SunnyD, which made him an attractive prospect in the motorsports community. Getting results on track added the cherry on top, with 23XI Racing touted as his next destination after Stewart-Haas Racing decided to cease operations at the end of 2024.

Despite being involved in a legal battle with NASCAR, the team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan remains interested in Riley Herbst’s services for 2025. Even though the finalization of a third charter will depend on the sanctioning body’s approval, FOX Sports journalist Bob Pockrass wrote on X, “And from what I can tell, it still is Riley Herbst as the likely driver of the third 23XI car (whether it is open or chartered) … Truex expected in a fourth car for Daytona 500. He said at Vegas he hasn’t been told anything different as far as lawsuit having any impact.”

By the end of 2024, Riley Herbst will have spent five full seasons in the Xfinity Series and will feel that the time is right to make the jump into NASCAR’s highest tier. With the necessary funding and experience to back his new adventure, the driver is hopeful for a quick resolution to the ongoing lawsuit. Sharing his views about the situation, Herbst said, “Hopefully, everything will sort itself out here shortly but I don’t see anything happening in the meantime.”

Currently, the 25-year-old is focused on finishing his season strongly with Stewart-Haas Racing after the playoff hopes ended at the Charlotte Roval before the Round of Eight.

With two races to go at Martinsville and Phoenix, Herbst has plenty to look forward to before the season finally comes to an end. Given his financial backing and on-track improvement, the racing driver will be confident about his place in NASCAR, even if a move to 23XI Racing doesn’t materialize because of the ongoing circumstances. Could he secure a second victory of the season in the upcoming races?

Having finished inside the top-ten finishes in the last two races, momentum is on the Nevada native’s side, and it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that he could end his season on a strong note.

Herbst is not bullish about his Cup Series future

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Earlier this year, Riley Herbst had said that he had options available in each of NASCAR’s national series for the 2025 season. A seat at the Haas Factory team was presented to him, one which was politely declined amidst talk of a move to 23XI Racing. That option is no longer on the cards, as the team has filled both its Xfinity Series seats while Cole Custer will be moving on to the Cup Series. With time running out and his future looking increasingly uncertain, it’s understandable why the 25-year-old isn’t feeling confident about his prospects.

Sharing his views about the situation Herbst finds himself in, he said, “[I’m] not confident, by any means. Distraction-wise, I think it weighs on all of us a little bit. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t, hopefully, things kind of sort themselves out in the meantime for the future, but I can’t worry about that now.”

The driver has several factors to keep in mind, including what his sponsor, Monster Energy, would want for his NASCAR future. Reflecting on it, the driver went on to say, “The biggest thing is trying to see what’s right for me, what’s right for Monster Energy.”

In a world where Kyle Busch was forced to leave Joe Gibbs Racing because of limited sponsorships, Riley Herbst’s ongoing dilemma puts him in a unique circumstance. Will the 25-year-old be forced to settle for a part-time seat for the 2025 campaign?

While unlikely, it cannot completely be ruled out. However, because Herbst has tremendous financial backing at his disposal, it’s more than likely that another team will snap him up if a move to 23XI Racing doesn’t see the light of day.