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Stewart-Haas Racing announces Riley Herbst will return to Xfinity Series for 2024

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Jonathan Howard | Last updated 10/12/23

One less name on the Silly Season list. Riley Herbst is going back to Stewart-Haas Racing for 2024 in the No. 98 car. Herbst brings a ton of sponsorship with his Monster Energy deal to the NASCAR Xfinity Series. It makes sense that he’s back in the car. However, there were other rides popping up that raised eyebrows.

Despite speculation that Riley Herbst might go this way or that in 2024, he’s back with SHR. In his fourth full-time season of Xfinity Series racing, Herbst is still looking for a win. He’ll have 33 more chances a year from now to get it done.

Herbst has made four starts in the Cup Series. He’s proven to be a quality superspeedway driver as he has two top-10 finishes in his four starts. That includes his Daytona 500 debut and the Yellawood 500 at Talladega.

SHR is excited to have their driver back in the 98.

The Monster is back.@rileyherbst returns to the No. 98 Ford Mustang for 2024. pic.twitter.com/QlKZJvIhlz
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) October 12, 2023

In his own Twitter post, Riley Herbst kept it short and simple.

“I’m excited to continue my relationship with [Stewart-Haas Racing] driving the No. 98 in 2024!

I’m excited to continue my relationship with @StewartHaasRcng driving the no. 98 in 2024! pic.twitter.com/AV0IOMLrHv
— Riley Herbst (@rileyherbst) October 12, 2023

We are slowly getting the Xfinity and Cup Series fields figured out. Silly Season doesn’t have much longer to go. There are still key seats that need to be filled before the 2024 season begins, though.

Riley Herbst has to step it up in 2024

Even though he has the sponsorship, at some point, results have to come up eventually. He didn’t win in the Truck Series and he hasn’t won in the Xfinity Series, despite being close at times.

At the Roval he was P3. He was P2 at Nashville earlier this season. Six top-5s are good and all, but I think they want more out of Herbst at SHR. Cole Custer came in and won two races and is looking like a championship favorite.

I would think in his fifth full-time season in Xfinity, a win has to come. It is make or break time. I don’t think that means Herbst has to be out of NASCAR, but a team change or crew chief swap – something has to happen. He even missed the playoffs this year. Excuses just run out after so many years.

Riley Herbst is still just 24 years old. He has time to turn things around. Does that happen at SHR or is it going to take a change for Herbst to break through and claim his first checkered flag in a NASCAR national series?

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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