Riley Herbst opens up about losing sleep over uncertain NASCAR future amid Xfinity playoffs

Stewart-Haas Racing driver Riley Herbst is losing sleep over his uncertain NASCAR future, as he has yet to announce his plans for the 2025 season. Herbst has advanced into the playoffs as the 8th seed, beginning this weekend at Kansas Speedway.

SHR will rebrand as the Haas Factory Team next season, with Cole Custer set to drive the lone Cup Series entry. Meanwhile, Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer have been confirmed for the Xfinity Series program, leaving Riley Herbst without a ride for the 2025 season.

During a recent appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR radio, Riley Herbst opened up about his current state of negotiations and acknowledged the volatile landscape of the silly season. He revealed that several potential deals have fallen through and his plans remain uncertain, with only seven weeks left until the season finale.

"I hope soon, to be honest with you, I really, really do. I being as upfront as I can. There's times where it's like, 'okay, tomorrow's the day it's done,' and then I wake up the next day and it's like, 'nope, not gonna happen!' So try to find something else," he said.

As he enters the postseason this weekend, Riley Herbst emphasized that his primary focus is on the championship.

"It's still up in the air. I was worried about it. I was losing sleep about it, and then I kind of just honestly stopped worrying about it. I got an opportunity to go fight for a championship with this Xfinity team, so I've kind of left the rest to — I like to joke with Josh Jones, and he can figure that out. Myself and Davin, we're going to work really hard to try to go win this big trophy here in Phoenix," he added.

Riley Herbst is managed by Kevin Harvick's KHI Management and has been linked with a potential third entry at 23XI Racing amid the ongoing charter drama. Herbst has previously stated that his future in NASCAR is linked with his primary sponsor, Monster Energy, and is looking for opportunities in the top three series.

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Riley Herbst on his crew chief's role in keeping him focused

Riley Herbst teamed up with Davin Restivo last season after Stewart-Haas Racing shuffled its crew chief lineup. Richard Boswell was promoted to lead Chase Briscoe's #14 team in the Cup Series. Restivo, who had served as the lead engineer for Aric Almirola’s #10 Ford team, stepped in to replace Boswell.

Heading into the 2024 playoffs, Riley Herbst emphasized his crew chief's role amid both the playoff pressure and the uncertainty surrounding his future in NASCAR.

"There's always going to be ups and downs in life, in especially racing right? Davin's done a good job with me, managing my emotions and trying to keep me even-keeled, not get too high, not get too low." he told Rob Tiongson.

Following an eventful race at Bristol, the 25-year-old remains fully focused on the Xfinity championship as the playoffs kick-off this weekend at Kansas Speedway.

"He did a good job of keeping me level-headed in the race car and after the race, keeping me focused on Kansas."