NASCAR
Riley Herbst Picks Up First Career Xfinity Series Win at Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Start number 139 proved to be the perfect storm for Riley Herbst in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Upsetting all eight Playoff drivers, Herbst’s No. 98 Ford was in its own zip code at Las Vegas, giving the hometown kid his first taste at NASCAR victory lane. Only days after announcing a return to Stewart-Haas Racing for 2024, Herbst had a career-defining day. Such a superior race only reaffirms Herbst’s rightful spot in the Xfinity Series.
Early on the day appeared to belong to another SHR Ford–Cole Custer. The championship-contending No. 00 won Stage 1 after starting second. Custer seemed well on his way to a Stage-sweeping performance, until his teammate sniffed the front. After starting in the rear, Riley Herbst blew by Custer late in Stage 2 and grabbed that win.
Little did anyone know at the time, but the Stage 2 break would be the final caution of the afternoon. Despite Custer getting by Herbst at the start, the No. 98 soon came rocketing back to retake command. From that point onward, Herbst’s advantage out front only continued to grow and grow even more. By the checkered flag, Herbst held a nearly 15-second lead and paced 103 of 201 laps. A very lights-out dominant day from Herbst put the 24-year-old in victory lane at home.
“Oh my goodness,” Herbst said as a NASCAR winner finally. “I love this town. I love this team. Davin Restivo (crew chief) believes in me, but I have to give a big shout out to Richard Boswell (former crew chief) because I wouldn’t be the person I am or the racecar driver without him. I can’t thank Monster Energy enough, Mitch Covington, Dave Gowan. Everybody said I couldn’t do it and those two people stuck behind my my whole career. You don’t even know what this means and what this takes off my chest. I can’t believe it. I love you Las Vegas. Let’s go!!”
“I’ve been working on myself and everything I can control. I knew all I could do is all I could do and if there was a caution, there was a caution and we were gonna race them straight up. But, oh my goodness. This year was such a failure that we didn’t make the Playoffs. It’s so embarrassing to be in a car like this that doesn’t make the Playoffs and walk in the garage each week with your head down, but Davin Restivo and all these guys on the 98 team told me to keep my head up and we’re gonna go win a race and that’s what we did.”
“I can’t fathom it. Can’t thank Monster Energy enough. I can’t thank my grandfather and mom and dad enough. I’m so emotional, but everybody here at Las Vegas, I love you guys. This is my home. I was born and raised here, so let’s go party and we’re gonna celebrate tonight.”
Herbst’s first career win also marked a team milestone for Stewart-Haas Racing. Across NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and ARCA West, the powerhouse organization now totals 100 victories.
Almost half a lap behind Herbst in second place was John Hunter Nemechek, who also rallied after starting 38th. Herbst’s teammate Cole Custer was third, with the top-five rounded out by Playoff drivers Chandler Smith and Sam Mayer. The rest of the top-10 were: Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones, Daniel Hemric and Layne Riggs. Herbst’s blistering pace meant that only the top-10 cars finished on the lead lap.
Since Herbst is not a Playoff driver, the Xfinity Series Championship 4 is still wide open after one Round of 8 race. Nemechek is the current points leader, 47 points above the cut line. The rest of the tentative top four are Hill and Custer. The other four drivers still alive in the title hunt have some work to do over the next two weeks.
The Xfinity Series will return to action Saturday from Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Contender Boats 300 will go green at 3:00 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Can the high-line-dominant Homestead give us another Xfinity Playoffs upset, or will one of the elite eight secure their fate in Phoenix?
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Chris Graythen/Getty Images
