SHR Star Comes Clean on Final Wish for Tony Stewart & Co Amid Worsening NASCAR Career Uncertainty

Stewart-Haas Racing announced earlier this year that it would cease operations after the 2024 season. However, Gene Haas has decided to retain some charters and will continue racing under the Haas Factory team banner. As a result, the former four-car team has been scaled down to a single-driver team in the Cup Series, with reigning Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer at the helm.

While the number of cars remains unchanged in the Xfinity Series, the lineup has shifted. With Cole Custer’s promotion, Sheldon Creed will take the reins of the #00 car. However, Creed won’t be paired with Riley Herbst, as Sam Mayer has joined Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) to pilot the team’s second car. This development leaves Riley Herbst’s NASCAR career uncertain. Despite this, Herbst has big plans for the SHR team before his exit.

Riley Herbst disclosed his plan for the next races

After five full Xfinity Series seasons, if you are suddenly stripped off a ride, naturally it’s going to be worrisome. And Herbst is no exception. But recently, he chose to not be distracted by the uncertainty. He said, “Distraction-wise, I think it weighs on all of us a little bit. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t. Hopefully, things kind of sort themselves out here in the meantime, in the future. But I can’t worry about that now. I have to worry about the [No.] 98 team and trying to get the best results.” Herbst was having a good season until he got knocked out of the playoffs in the Charlotte Roval race.

In a recent press conference, speaking on the elimination Herbst said, “I think last week the mindset was just a lot of anger, just like that gimmick of a racetrack at the ROVAL and then focusing on this round, which is so much better of a round for us with two mile-and-a-halves and a short track.”Although not in championship contention, Herbst is still determined to do his best for the Tony Stewart-owned team. And why wouldn’t he feel pumped? The next race is in Las Vegas, which also happens to be his hometown.

It’s where he finished 5th in the spring and also won last year. Keeping his head high, Herbst said, “Now the outlook is more positive and just looking to win back-to-back in my hometown.” And not just that, Riley Herbst wishes to end his season on a high note and is eyeing a win in the next races to come. “And have another solid finish at Miami and another solid finish at Martinsville and kind of end this chapter of my life with Stewart-Haas Racing on a high note and try to go out with some wins, he further said.

Securing a strong finish at his home race would not only serve as a morale booster but also garner valuable attention as Riley Herbst seeks a ride for the 2025 season. Given his impressive record, finding a new opportunity shouldn’t be challenging. Herbst’s past performances demonstrate his potential. Following his home race, the Series heads to Homestead-Miami, where the 25-year-old finished runner-up last year. In five starts at the track, he has consistently delivered top-11 finishes. Additionally, Martinsville has been a favorable venue for the young driver. He secured a fourth-place finish there last year, with five of his eight starts resulting in top-10 finishes.

So ending the season on a high note should be easy. It would be a great season-end for the SHR team, which is looking to defend its championship with Cole Custer. However, the question of Herbst’s 2025 season still remains a mystery.

Riley Herbst opens up on his NASCAR future

Herbst has an impressive resume backing his Xfinity Career so far. In his debut race in 2018, he took the NASCAR world by surprise after he finished 6th in the Iowa Speedway race. Since then Herbst has made 171 Xfinity race starts, bagging two wins, 33 top-5 finishes, and 83 top-10 finishes.

Ahead of the Vegas race, he was asked about his next season plans, to which he said, “There’s a lot of things holding back the dominoes to fall and I’m not the first one to initiate the fall of the dominoes, so I’ll leave at that. Hopefully, everything will sort itself out here shortly, but I don’t see anything happening in the meantime.”

Previously Herbst had shown a willingness to move to the Cup, but nothing concrete has moved in that direction as of yet. In the pre-race interview, he was asked if a Cup ride was a possibility and what he was doing to prep for the top series. “Nothing is by any means set, so I don’t know what steps I’ve taken or what steps I’ve not taken. We’re just kind of focusing on these next four races and trying to go out on top to end Stewart-Haas Racing and that chapter where I’m at now. I feel like I’ve grown a bunch over the last four years, I would say at the end of five years now, so we’ll see what happens, but nothing in the short time, for sure,” Herbst responded.

Where do you think Riley Herbst will go in the 2025 season? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.