Riley Herbst grew up camping at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, dreaming of racing under its lights. This weekend, the 26-year-old returns not as a fan but as a full-time Cup Series driver for 23XI Racing.
His journey from hometown hopeful to Michael Jordan’s rookie sensation has been anything but smooth. With four races under his belt, Herbst faces his biggest test yet: conquering his home track in NASCAR’s premier series.
Riley Herbst Navigates the Cup Series Learning Curve
Transitioning from Xfinity to Cup is like swapping a bicycle for a rocket ship. Herbst knows this firsthand. “Last week was unfortunate, but the jump is tremendous,” he admitted ahead of the Pennzoil 400.
“Everyone tells you about it. It is one of those things that you don’t really know until you experience it.”
This is a home race for Las Vegas native Riley Herbst. What he said about the transition to his first full-time Cup season: pic.twitter.com/X9utQZ0OOB
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 16, 2025
The Las Vegas native sits 27th in points after four races, with a best finish of 17th at Daytona, Atlanta, and Austin. A crash at Phoenix left him 37th, but Herbst remains unfazed.
“The biggest thing is to finish the race,” he said to the media. “You don’t get any points if you don’t finish. I think that is what kind of put us in a big hole from this past weekend at Phoenix, but quite honestly, I don’t think anyone is micromanaging the points by any means.”
Mentorship from 23XI veterans Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, and Bubba Wallace has been critical. “It has been a lot of fun these last two months getting to know everybody and just get my feet underneath me. Hopefully, we will continue to build a good foundation.”
Herbst’s No. 35 Toyota will face an uphill battle this Sunday after a throttle body change forcing him to start 34th. But setbacks are part of the grind.
“There is some checked boxes that we’ve excelled at, and there are some areas that we need to improve on as well. I think it was a good four weeks to get our test results back and try to set ourselves up for a solid run until the Easter break,” Herbst said.
Las Vegas Roots Fuel Herbst’s NASCAR Ambitions at Pennzoil 400
For Herbst, racing at LVMS is a full-circle moment. He once watched haulers parade through the infield; now, his own rig rolls among them.
“I used to camp on motorhome hill … so, it is kind of like a full circle moment for myself. To race a Cup car at my home track is a dream that I’ve had forever,” he shared.
The Pennzoil 400 isn’t just another race. It’s a chance to prove himself where he honed his craft, the Bullring short track. Herbst hopes his story inspires Vegas’ growing racing community. “The racing culture [at Las Vegas] has grown tremendously,” he said, referencing NASCAR’s fall playoff race and F1’s local buzz.
“More short tracks, more dirt tracks on the West Coast and no more of them shutting down.”
Despite early struggles, Herbst eyes long-term gains. His focus is on consistency over flash. A solid run Sunday could silence doubters and reignite the hometown kid’s momentum. For Herbst, the Pennzoil 400 isn’t about trophies; it’s about proving he belongs. And in Vegas, where he once chased dreams from the grandstands, that’s a victory in itself.