NEWTON, Iowa—Riley Herbst was almost giddy after finishing second in the Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Las Vegas racer was just as thrilled not to be racing on a road course following the last two weekends at Portland International Raceway and Sonoma Raceway, where Shane van Gisbergen schooled the field.
Still, Herbst’s return to oval racing in the HyVee Perks 250 resulted in his second runner-up finish of the season and his first top-five since the April Talladega race six races ago.
“I wish I could have wrapped (turns) one and two better than I would have had a fair shot,” said Herbst, who finished .146-second behind winner Sam Mayer. “It was just so bottom-dominant all day yesterday and the first stage of the race. Then it got like a Texas where the outside was predominant—and you wanted to start there.
“I thought we did a good job for how we restarted. Ultimately, I thought I was too loose to win the race. All-in-all, I need to go back and watch the race so I can get better. But it’s just good to have speed again. The last two weeks have been rough—no speed, bad finishes. I think we’re back to where we were in the beginning of the year, championship contender and good speed.”
Herbst started the race 12th and methodically worked his way through the field. He was seventh before the first caution on Lap 35 and finished Stage 1 in the 13th position 38 laps later. Herbst restarted the second stage seventh and picked up stage points following an eight-place run at the end of the segment on Lap 151.
Following the eighth caution, Herbst took the lead for the first time on the Lap 238 restart. But Mayer was closing in. With five laps remaining in the contest, Mayer passed the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford. John Hunter Nemechek’s wreck on the next lap forced NASCAR to re-rack the field before the race went into overtime.
“I felt like we had an up and down day,” Herbst said. “It was a clean restart. It was fun. I like racing Sam, but stage 1 or 2 he just absolutely brooms me. We were racing clean for fourth and takes us back to 10th and then doors me down the back straightaway before the green-white-checker.
“It’s just frustrating the way he wants to do that, but, all in all, it was fun. I’m happy to be back on ovals. The speed is back in the 98.”
Despite posting an average finish of 11th the last two weeks, Herbst described his road course performance as “utterly embarrassing” and “unacceptable.” Given that Stewart-Haas Racing announced just two weeks ago that the organization would shut down at season’s end it’s understandable that the team needed to regroup.
Still, with both Herbst and his teammate Cole Custer running in the lead pack, picking up stage points and finishing second and sixth, respectively, their performance has to be a morale boost for the SHR Xfinity Series program.
“It’s huge,” Herbst said. “Yesterday, we were really fast in practice. Cole and me were fast in practice, fast in the race. There have been a lot of departures from Stewart-Haas Racing over the last few weeks and I assume a few more to come. But we’re trying to keep the band together for a few more months—until November. Hopefully, we can do that with runs like this.”
Beyond November, Herbst will be a free agent as well. When asked when he’d like to have his plans shored up, the young racer replies, “Yesterday.”
“I think there are a lot of prospects,” Herbst said. “I think KHI (Kevin Harvick Inc.) is doing a really good job and putting me in a good position. Hopefully, we can evaluate all the options and see what’s right for Riley Herbst, and what’s right for Monster Energy and go from there.”
Follow Lee Spencer on Twitter @CandiceSpencer or email her at: [email protected].[table=4152]
