23XI Racing’s rookie Riley Herbst sends crystal clear expectations for the rest of NASCAR Cup season: “I've got a progress check where we need to be” 

NASCAR Cup Series driver Riley Herbst shared the goals for his first full-time season with 23XI Racing in the series ahead of Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Herbst drives the No. 35 Toyota for NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin and NBA star Michael Jordan owned 23XI Racing. The 26-year-old was placed 17th for the first three NASCAR Cup races this season and finished in 37th place at last Sunday's Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix Raceway. He is currently ranked 27th in the standings with 61 points.

"The biggest thing is to finish the race. You don't get any points if you don't finish. I think that is what kind of put us in a big hole from this past weekend at Phoenix, but quite honestly, I don't think anyone is micromanaging the points by any means. That is not our objective. Our objective to get better each week and run more competitive each week," Riley Herbst said (via Speedway Digest).

Herbst had a rough race last week after he got caught in a four-car crash with Justin Haley and others on lap 99. His car was too damaged to continue and got his first DNF of the season.

"I've got a progress check where we need to be, where we need to be better, where we need to excel and where we need to pick up the pace a little bit. I think there is some checked boxes that we've excelled at, and there are some areas that we need to improve on as well," Herbst added.

The Cup Series will move to Las Vegas for the Pennzoil 400 at the 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) oval in Nevada. The is scheduled to begin at 3:30 pm ET on Sunday, March 16.

"I think, that can lock yourself in the final four" - Riley Herbst shares high hopes for NASCAR playoffs

Riley Herbst is aiming high for this rookie NASCAR Cup Series season. Herbst debuted in the Cup Series in 2023 and finished 10th at Daytona in his first race. After racing part-time for Rick Ware Racing, he landed a full-time ride with 23XI Racing for 2025.

Herbst made four starts each of the previous two seasons in the Cup Series while driving full-time in the Xfinity Series for Stewart Haas Racing. His best Cup finish was ninth place during the playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway in 2023.

The Las Vegas, Nevada native shared his thoughts on having Las Vegas on the NASCAR schedule and said:

"Just the presence that Las Vegas Motor Speedway has in the NASCAR calendar - the race in the fall is huge because, I think, that can lock yourself in the final four. It's really cool that NASCAR promotes Las Vegas my home city, which means so much to me. Hopefully it continues to grow, and like you said, we get more short tracks, more dirt tracks on the West Coast and no more of them shutting down." (via Speedway Digest).

Herbst also mentioned growing up racing at the short track, Bullring Oval at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with Front Row Motorsports' Noah Gragson.