WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — As Riley Herbst begins his sophomore year with 23XI Racing, team owner Denny Hamlin is pressing for significant improvement. With the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season approaching, Hamlin wants to see clear progress from the driver of the No. 35 Toyota Camry XSE to confirm the team’s forward momentum.
Hamlin Calls for Consistent Top-Tier Performance
During a pre-Clash press conference, Hamlin emphasized the need for better results.
“We’ve got to see better performance, for sure,”
he stated.
“I think that certainly, where the 35 (Herbst) was running last year was just not up to what we expect. We have a — we signed a multi-year agreement with Riley because we want to see where it goes in the second year.”
He added,
“And certainly I want to see a gain in performance. Needs to be challenging inside that top 10, top 15, that’s where we expect our cars to run. And certainly the more experienced guys in Tyler (Reddick) and Bubba (Wallace), they need to be competing for race wins more often.”
Herbst’s Background and Rookie Year Performance
Riley Herbst came into the 2025 season with limited Cup Series experience—only eight career starts and two top-10 finishes, both on superspeedways. After moving from Stewart-Haas Racing to Toyota Racing, Herbst took on driving duties for 23XI Racing’s No. 35, continuing his partnership with crew chief Davin Restivo, with whom he previously secured three O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victories.
His rookie campaign opened with three 17th-place finishes at Daytona International Speedway, EchoPark Speedway, and Circuit of the Americas. However, a crash at Phoenix Raceway resulted in a 37th-place finish, followed by a 19th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Struggles and Setbacks During the Rookie Season
Herbst’s early promise faded as the season progressed. His average finish in the first five races was 21.4, but after the West Coast swing, he only achieved four top-20 finishes in the next 31 races and finished worse than 30th in ten events. This inconsistency underscored the steep challenge of thriving in the Gen 7 era of the Cup Series.
Opportunity for Growth with Increased Experience
Now with 44 Cup starts, Herbst is expected to move past merely learning the car. His second full season should allow him to demonstrate notable progress behind the wheel. Success in 2026 would solidify his role at NASCAR’s top level, while failing to meet expectations could put his position at risk in 2027, potentially opening the door for other drivers.
