BRISTOL, Tenn.: The 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season hasn’t gone exactly as Riley Herbst and Stewart-Haas Racing but a crucial season-best third place finish in Friday night’s Food City 300 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway gives the team some much welcomed momentum entering the post-season Xfinity Series Playoffs.
Herbst, a native of Las Vegas, Nev. scored just his fourth top-five finish of the year in the series’ single visit to Thunder Valley this season, but the patience from Herbst, guidance from spotter Tim Fedewa and leadership from crew chief Richard Boswell kept the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in contention for a grueling 300-laps.
With a top-five finish at Richmond (Va.) Raceway the week before, Herbst started Friday night’s rumble from eighth and maintained a healthy presence on the lead lap.
Despite not being able to gain any crucial stage points in the final race of the regular season, the race did play into the hands of Herbst during a pivotal Stage 3, including a late race caution would allowed Herbst to rocket to third during a green-white-checkered NASCAR overtime finish.
“Yeah, that was fun,” said Herbst after the race. “A lot of people using their bumpers out here tonight and kind of what I expected just because it’s the regular season cutoff and playoff points are on the line.”
The 22-year-old Herbst said the race became aggressive – but he was fine with the escalation in intensity because his team was able to put themselves in a good position.
“It got aggressive, but it was cool,” added Herbst. “We kept ourselves in position. Richard Boswell and the 98 team gave us a really good strategy and a really good car.
“Thank you to Monster Energy and Ford Performance. Man, I’m so excited to go home next week and try to go race for a championship.”
Herbest described the last restart which threw the race into absolute mayhem with the checkered flag waving.
“Once the caution came and the overtime happened I knew it was gonna be kind of hectic,” continued Herbst. “It’s just a product of Bristol. People got aggressive. Everybody wants to win at this place.
“This place is awesome. It was tense there the last few laps and all hell kind of broke loose, but we were able to come away third and we’ll take it headed to Las Vegas.”
The season-high performance or 11 top-10 finish of the 2021 season keeps a critical momentum train rolling heading into the Round of 12 Playoff race at Herbt’s hometown track of Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.
“It’s gonna be fun,” sounded Herbst. “I’ve been looking forward to going home for a long time and I think we can win at home next week and, like I said, I’m excited. We’re going to race for a championship.”
Herbst knows his first career victory at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway would propel him forward in his Xfinity Series championship bid, but he is confident that he’ll have an opportunity to deliver.
“We’re going to back to my home, Las Vegas, to try to go win and move to the Round of 8,” Herbst said. “We’re very capable of winning and we’re ready to go do it.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
