NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Riley Herbst will be joining Rick Ware Racing for the 65th running of the Great American Race at Daytona International Speedway on February 18th on Fox.
Herbst made two cup starts last year for Rick Ware Racing in their No. 15 Ford Mustang, scoring a Top 10 in the Daytona 500 (10th) as well as running for them at spring Talladega (20th). After that, he joined Front Row Motorsports for two starts in their No. 36 entry, scoring a 38th place finish at Daytona and finishing Top 10 (9th) at fall Talladega.
“I’ve grown a lot as a race car driver, especially this past year,” Herbst said. “I put in the work and try to maximize every opportunity, and I feel like last year that hard work and determination paid off. We were really strong at the end of the year. We never finished lower than fourth in our last five Xfinity Series races. I didn’t want the season to end. I’ve kind of been chomping at the bit to get this year started, so to be able to get back to Daytona and run the 500 is something I’m definitely looking forward to.”
Herbst will be driving the No. 15 backed by partner Monster Energy for the race in the hopes of running Top 10 again to showcase he does have the talent to run up front and show off he is a contender.
“I know I’ll have that yellow rookie stripe on my back bumper, and usually, that means other drivers think twice about drafting with you. So, to have a teammate in Justin Haley – a guy who’s won at Daytona before – is a great asset,” Herbst said. “I’m going to look out for him, and he’s going to look out for me, and together with that Roush Yates horsepower in our Ford Mustangs, I think we can be a strong combination.”
Team owner Rick Ware is very happy with the signing as he is excited to show off what his two-car team can do, as well as partnering with a sponsor like Monster.
“Riley continues to impress as a driver,” said team owner Rick Ware. “He showcased what we could do together by securing a top-10 in his first Cup Series start in last year’s Daytona 500, so we look forward to using that as our benchmark when we return to do it again in a few weeks,” Ware continued. “Additionally, to partner with a global brand like Monster Energy is something I take very seriously for RWR as a company. Monster’s commitment to motorsports is something I respect and value, and I’m proud to have the opportunity to work together with Riley and the Monster brand throughout 2024.”
Any additional races for Riley Herbst during the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season weren’t announced, but he could run races added on during the year.
Image: Patrick Vallely