Riley Herbst will make the move to the Cup Series in 2025 as he joins 23XI Racing to compete full-time.
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According to a Wednesday morning announcement, Herbst will drive the No. 35 Toyota Camry XSE as he becomes teammates with Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick. He will also return to Toyota Gazoo Racing North America after four seasons with Ford Performance.
The move to Cup will include the continuation of a key partnership. Herbst will have Davin Restivo as his crew chief. Restivo previously worked with Herbst at Stewart-Haas Racing and guided him to three Xfinity Series wins.
According to 23XI Racing, Herbst will have Monster Energy as his primary partner for his rookie season. The beverage company already has a presence within the organization through Tyler Reddick, but it will majorly expand while continuing to support Herbst's career.
Welcome to the family #forwardtogether #teamtoyota pic.twitter.com/wegE9Mw5vY
— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) November 20, 2024
"It's an honor to join 23XI and Toyota for the opportunity to race in the Cup Series each week," Herbst said in a statement. "Racing full-time in the Cup Series has been my goal since I started in NASCAR and I'm excited to start my Cup career with such an accomplished and driven team.
"What 23XI has accomplished in a short time is impressive and I look forward to building on their success as the organization grows. It's also great to continue representing Monster and I'm excited about adding to their legacy in NASCAR."
Herbst has experience in the Cup Series. He has made eight starts split between Rick Ware Racing and Front Row Motorsports. He has two top-10 finishes.
This move continues 23XI Racing's investment in NASCAR as the organization prepares for its fifth season. 23XI Racing has celebrated eight wins with three drivers (Wallace, Reddick, and Kurt Busch) since 2021. Reddick took the team to the Championship 4 for the first time last season.
"As 23XI enters our fifth season next year, we felt the time was right to continue the growth of our organization by adding a third team, and Riley is a driver we think will be a great fit for us," said Steve Lauletta, 23XI Team President, in a statement.
"We have a very solid foundation with both Bubba and Tyler, and we know they will be a great resource for Riley as he begins his journey in the Cup Series."
