Riley Herbst of 23XI Racing addressed the media on Wednesday before the highly anticipated Daytona 500, outlining both his own and his team’s elevated goals for the year. Entering his second full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Herbst emphasized readiness to build on past experience and deliver improved results, stressing the importance of unity and progress as he faces the iconic race. The topic of Riley Herbst Daytona 500 expectations was at the forefront, as he shared insights into his growth as a driver and the cohesive atmosphere within his team.
Clear Goals for Improvement Set by 23XI Racing
Herbst was forthright about the team’s shared determination to outperform last year. He acknowledged the strength of his No. 35 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Toyota Camry XSE, alongside the capabilities of the crew and his own development.
“There’s no shying away from it, we want the results to be better on the 35 car. We had good enough racecars, we have good enough team members and I’m a good enough driver to have better results this year. It’s as simple as that. I think we are all on the same page with what we expect and what we want, and that’s to be better this year than last year.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
Herbst spoke of ongoing conversations with team owners Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, illustrating a supportive environment dedicated to collective success. The unity within the organization, including fellow drivers Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, has been central to their preparations for the Daytona 500 and the season ahead.
“Everyone at 23XI and Airspeed work a little bit different than most fundamental race shops. All three of us are pretty cohesive and work hand to hand together. There wasn’t much separation last year, nor will there be this year. We are all trying to run better on all three accounts. You can ask Tyler (Reddick) and Bubba (Wallace), that wasn’t the year they wanted last year either. I think all three of us and four this weekend want to succeed for Denny (Hamlin) and MJ (Michael Jordan) and everyone at Airspeed and how hard they work.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
Experience in Lower Series Fuels Cup Series Confidence
Herbst drew parallels between his early years in the O’Reilly (Xfinity) Series and his current Cup Series journey, underscoring the importance of perseverance and continuous self-improvement. The parallels highlight his mindset as he steps into a pivotal year of his career.
“The narrative was really similar in my first year in the Xfinity Series and even into the second and third year. I’ve worked as hard as I can and surrounded myself with really good people and try to improve every day.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
He discussed the inherent challenges in making the leap from the O’Reilly Series to the premier Cup Series, particularly as part of a relatively new team environment.
“It’s always going to be difficult to make the jump from the O’Reilly Series to the Cup Series. And starting a new team, hiring people, and understanding the way 23XI and Airspeed handle things. Get everything right, get the fundamentals right. That’s just going to show and pay dividends this year as well. On top of that, I think I’m a way more experienced driver. I’ve grown mentally and physically in my racecraft so I’m excited for this year. I think everyone on the 35 has grown. More than anything we are all in it together, all of our teams, we work together cohesively me, Tyler, and Bubba each week. We study together and we review our races together and we want for each other to finish 1-2-3 each week. That hasn’t happened yet, but I think this weekend is a really good shot for that.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
Commitment to Growth and Offseason Preparation
Reflecting on offseason efforts, Herbst explained that both mental and physical training have been paramount for him and the rest of the No. 35 team. Additions to the Airspeed group have further enhanced the team’s capabilities for the upcoming season.
“Specifically, I worked really hard this offseason. We’re way stronger mentally and physically. We’ve got some new faces to Airspeed to help the 35 team this year. Looking forward to it, that first year in the Cup Series is always rough. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t make big improvements this year and succeed pretty well.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
Communication with key stakeholders, notably Hamlin and Jordan, has remained consistent, emphasizing the franchise’s emphasis on support and high expectations.
“The contact is always been consistent with ownership, Denny (Hamlin) and Michael (Jordan) are always at Airspeed encouraging us and giving us the tools we need to succeed at the highest level. Hopefully we can succeed, and that’s what all three of us want to do during the year and the fourth racing with us this weekend as well. Just give Denny and MJ a real big trophy and a lot of money to go along with it.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
Atmosphere and Anticipation at Daytona
Herbst expressed his excitement for what he considers one of the most exhilarating weeks in the NASCAR calendar. The weight of Daytona’s tradition and the challenge of its track serve as further motivation.
“I love it. I’ve been telling everybody, this is one of my favorite weeks of the year. The anticipation, the excitement, the weather, Daytona is a really fun racetrack. The history that the 500 presents all of us and the challenges we will face for 500 miles on Sunday is really cool and I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a great year for us on the 35 and the 45 and 23, all of us together. We are ready to go.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
Memorable projects off the racetrack, including a Monster Energy commercial filmed in Las Vegas, have also contributed to his positive outlook as he represents both his sponsor and his team.
“I’ve been with them for so long, they’ve been great partners. But the coolest on is the commercial we filmed at the end of the year last year called Dust of Smoke on YouTube. It’s a really video. We got to rent out right down the strip and drive the Cup car down the strip in Vegas and take the car down through the Valley of Fire, that was really fun. We had Vaughn (Gitten Jr.) join us for some drifting too. Monster Energy is top notch in everything they do and the activation to grow their brand and action sports is second to none.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
Confidence in Team and Equipment Drives Optimism
A confident tone underscored Herbst’s remarks about his progression as a driver and his trust in Airspeed and the technical crew. He emphasized the difficulty and competitive nature of Cup Series racing, embracing the challenge ahead.
“The belief in myself has never wavered. I’m confident in my ability, I’m confident in every single man and woman at Airspeed to provide us with really fast racecars. To answer your question, I knew it was going to be very difficult last year. People didn’t think so I guess, I don’t know. Yes, it’s difficult, it’s hard. These are the best stockcar drivers in the world and if it was easy, it would not be correct. I’m looking forward to this year. The gains we showed at a few tracks last year hopefully we can magnify it to every single track this year. The confidence is sky high, everyone over at Airspeed with all three cars to try and get more trophies, so that’s what we are looking to do.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
The strong relationship with his spotter and consistent access to competitive racecars further boost his anticipation for a successful showing at Daytona.
“I think I have a really good spotter and a good racecar, I’ve been fortunate to sit in really good racecars and that produces really good speed. You only need a couple of ingredients here at Daytona to have success and having great racecars is one of them. Hopefully we can have another solid run this year and we won’t be sliding through the grass.”
– Riley Herbst, Driver
What to Expect from Herbst and 23XI Racing This Season
With the start of the season at the Daytona 500, Herbst and his teammates at 23XI Racing—Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, and the larger Airspeed group—remain steadfast in their pursuit of top finishes. Consistent messaging from leaders like Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, the benefit of recent team developments, and Herbst’s growing experience all set the stage for a potential breakthrough year for the No. 35 car. Fans and observers can look for increased competitiveness, further team cohesion, and an energized approach as Herbst chases his Riley Herbst Daytona 500 expectations and aims to make a mark in the Cup Series.
