Making the move to the Legacy Motor Club family is a natural step for Herbst

Earlier this month came confirmation that Riley Herbst would be departing the 23XI Racing team to join Legacy Motor Club for the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series. The Las Vegas native has three top-10 finishes thus far in his second Cup season and while positive about where he's been, he's excited about where he's going.

“It was awesome to team up with a childhood hero,” said Herbst. “My dad always used to tell me that he grew up with Jimmie Johnson. I didn’t believe him. This is when Jimmie was on a streak of five in a row and dominating.”

His father, Troy Herbst, is a former off-road racing teammate of Johnson, and now Troy's son is poised to drive the No. 84 Toyota – an inverse of the racing number with which Johnson won seven Cup Series championships – for Legacy Motor Club.

“He’s the perfect fit for us, and he’s the future of Legacy,” said Johnson of his new team driver. “And then you take the work ethic and commitment this young man has, his dedication and focus to being the best driver he can be. Riley is an up-and-coming driver in the sport.”

The present hasn't been quite so up-and-coming, but Herbst is hopeful of showing more in the latter stages of his stint with 23XI, starting this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway outside St. Louis.

“We had a really good late spring and early summer stretch and we were running well. Obviously, I got caught up in a few wrecks and I got injured with my concussion, so I had to miss a race. It was a little bit of a slump," Herbst says of his season to date. “I feel like we had really speed in the beginning five-eighths of the year and these last four weeks have been a struggle, for sure. Hopefully, we can get the ship turned around for the next eight races and finish off this chapter pretty good.”

Herbst's season with 23XI hasn't gone the way he hoped, but he's hopeful the pieces are in place to finish on the upswing. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Herbst’s switch to Legacy Motor Club for 2027 was the end result of something of a window shopping tour he and his racing comrades took part in around Charlotte.

“Yeah, we were looking around,” said Herbst. “We wanted to get the right thing. It’s a huge issue if you don’t make the right move. We wanted to be on top of it and I think we have landed in a really great spot with really great people. We’re looking forward to it. I’m thoroughly happy to continue racing and just to be there and to be competitive.

“I really wasn’t worried about where I was going,” continued Herbst, “because I knew I had great people behind the scenes figuring things out and trying to get us in a good position. Obviously, the word was out that my contract was up. Jimmie reached out to the people that handle our stuff and the conversation started with that and man, I’m happy it did.”

The family connection makes it all the sweeter for Herbst.

“My dad and Jimmie have been friends going back a long time, back to the Mickey Thompson Off-Road days," he noted. "They grew up racing against other, which is such a small world and such a cool thing. I mean, they are great friends. They raced the Mint 400 together this year together. Really cool stuff. Jimmie is just a really stand-up dude.”

And while Herbst is enthusiastic about being teamed with Johnson, he is just as pleased to remain linked to Toyota Racing Development.

“I really wanted to stay in the Toyota camp,” said Herbst. “Toyota is just second to none and there are the connections that my family has with Jimmie and Legacy and it all just seems like a very natural fit. I haven’t really been up there to the Legacy shop too much. Just because we’ve still got a season to finish out with 23XI Racing. But yeah, the people make this sport and I know they’ve got really good people over there and I’m excited about it. I think it should be a seamless transition. It’s awesome that I don’t have to switch manufacturers. It honestly and truly is a good deal in every aspect.”

Including his new No. 84.

“I think it’s cool,” enthused Herbst. “It has grown on me a bunch. I’m excited to climb in that thing at Daytona in February. Yeah, No. 84 sounds good to me.”