Riley Herbst puts his spin on his family’s motorsports tradition — on NASCAR’s Xfinity circuit

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Saturday, March 5, 2022 | 2 a.m.

It wasn’t too long ago when Riley Herbst was in the stands at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway rooting for seven-time NASCAR series champion Jimmie Johnson.

Herbst, from the legendary off-road racing (and Las Vegas gas station, car wash and casino owning) family, would take in the action and envision the day when it would be his turn to compete against NASCAR’S finest on the hometown track.

That day is today.

The 23-year Herbst will race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at 1:30 p.m. as part of the annual stock car racing weekend at the speedway. The NASCAR Cup Series follows on Sunday.

The Xfinity Series is billed as the “minor leagues” of NASCAR and viewed as a proving ground for up-and-comers like Herbst working toward a spot on the top circuit. Noah Gragson, another Las Vegas native, will also compete in today’s race.

Herbst is entering the weekend with the mentality that it’s just another event, knowing that once the green flag is waved he’ll be competing against the same cars and drivers as other stops on the circuit.

But, he admits, he’ll have a sense of nostalgia along the way as he’s doing it at home.

“I was in the stands for quite a few races there growing up, so it’s pretty cool to come back and race there in front of my family and friends,” Herbst said. “It’s also cool to know there are going to be kids in the grandstands who were just like me (in having NASCAR dreams). That’s pretty neat.”

Herbst has been racing in Las Vegas since he was age 5, when he started like most children in racing karts. While the competition and commitment has evolved over the years, the thrill of competition hasn’t. That’s because the driver is still a fun-loving, goofy kid, said Richard Boswell, his crew chief.

“He’s a big goofball, but his cares. He takes this very seriously,” Boswell said. “Racing isn’t what he has to do. He has other career paths with this family business. But that is what he is passionate about.”

Many in Las Vegas are familiar with the Herbst family through its convenience store chain that’s been prominent throughout town for decades.

The family is similarly accomplished in motor sports, as his grandfather, father and uncles each have had celebrated careers in desert racing events like the Baja 500, the 500 mile race through mostly desert terrain.

Dad, Troy Herbst, is a seven-time off-road racing series champion, helping the quartet earn induction into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame.

While Riley Herbst’s path in racing won’t come with off-road vehicles, it was definitely shaped by the days spent watching his family compete in the desert, he said.

“I learned that if you work hard at something, you can achieve it,” Riley Herbst said. “I’ve always been focused on the biggest challenge. That challenge brought me to racing stock cars.”

Herbst has 78 all-time races in the Xfinity Series over five years, making the playoffs last year in his first full-season by securing four top-5 finishes and 17 top-10 finishes. This season, he finished fourth at Daytona, Fla., in the opener, and ninth at the most recent race in Fontana, Calif.

Herbst said the few days back in Las Vegas have a different feel from other stops on the circuit in that he’s able to reconnect with family and friends. It’s a good distraction to have in the grind of the week, especially considering the many supporters who will be at the speedway to cheer him on.

He’s never won in the series and says breaking through at his home track would be “huge for my career and my season. It would be a lot of weight off my back for sure.”

Eventually, a win will come. And more will follow.

“He works hard and he puts in the time,” Boswell said. “He’s young and he has a long ways to good, but he’s got a lot of time to get there. I know he wants to perform well on his home track, but it’s just like any race in that he has to execute, stay calm and finish all of the laps.”