Riley Herbst's 2025 ride up in the air: Haas offers Xfinity return but Cup Series dreams take hold

Following the announcement of Cole Custer's plans with the Haas Factory Team (HFT) for the 2025 Cup Series campaign, Stewart-Haas Racing driver Riley Herbst's future stands uncertain. With Gene Haas' Xfinity offer on the table and a possible move to the Cup Series like his SHR teammate, Herbst has yet to decide on his ride for the next NASCAR campaign.

After Tony Stewart and Gene Haas led Stewart-Haas Racing's announced the closing of their shops by the end of the 2024 season, co-owner Haas is set to continue a single-car and two-car charter in Cup and Xfinity Series, respectively. Moreover, HFT announced that SHR's Cole Custer would return to the Cup Series full-time, piloting the #41 Ford, ahead of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway race.

Recently, a renowned journalist, Dustin Albino, claimed that Joe Custer had offered a ride to #98 Herbst in the Xfinity program, despite Herbst looking for a Cup Series ride. Custer is the current chief operation officer of SHR and is set to continue his operations with the Haas Factory Team from the 2025 season.

"Joe Custer says Haas Factory Team has made an offer to Riley Herbst to return to the Xfinity Series in 2025. Herbst is looking at other options, including a potential move to the Cup Series," Albino wrote on X.

Moreover, Albino claimed that the Haas Factory Team is reportedly in talks with NASCAR's Hailie Deegan as the possible candidate for the other Xfinity ride.

"Haas Factory Team has also spoken to Hailie Deegan as a potential candidate for one of its Xfinity Series cars," Albino said.

After #00 Custer's confirmed ride and two more probable candidates, the Gene Haas-led Haas Factory Team is planning to solidify thier rides for the upcoming 2025 NASCAR campaign.

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"It's important to be in a competitive ride" - Riley Herbst voices his preference for next year

Riley Herbst competes full-time in the Xfinity Series for Stewart-Haas Racing and part-time in the Cup Series for Rick Ware Racing.

In a media interaction, the 25-year-old Herbst claimed that his future in the NASCAR Series is co-dependent with his primary sponsor Monster Energy. Herbst said (via SpeedwayDigest.com):

"I think there’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes, but it’s not really just Riley Herbst, it’s Monster Energy as well. The biggest thing is trying to see what’s right for me, what’s right for Monster Energy,"

The #98 Ford driver also believes that it is important to have a competitive ride for him and his sponsor, irrespective of any three NASCAR National Series. He said:

"At least for myself and my sponsor it's important to be in competitive rides. I think that's the easiest way to learn is to surround yourself with good people and put yourself in good equipment. That's first and foremost, so I think that's going to be our priority for us this offseason, where we land, is to be in a ride that's extremely competitive whether it be in any three series,"

With a winless season, Herbst now sits 72 points above the playoff cutline in the Xfinity Series. He has accumulated three top-5s and eight top-10s in 19 starts.