Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Nashville NXS Advance

RILEY HERBST
Nashville NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Tennessee Lottery 250 (Round 15 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, June 19
• Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
• Layout: 1.333-mile, concrete oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway is one of the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ enhanced race weekends with practice and qualifying prior to the race. It’s an opportunity relished by Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). The last time the Xfinity Series featured practice and qualifying in the lead up to the race was three weeks ago at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Herbst took full advantage of the opportunity, setting the fastest time in practice and then backing it up with his first career pole. Herbst aims to replicate that kind of speed in Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250.

• Nashville is best known as Music City, but its bright lights and lively nightlife has earned Nashville another nickname – Nashvegas. As a native of Las Vegas, Herbst feels right at home in Nashville. That Nashville Superspeedway is an intermediate-style track makes Herbst feel even more welcome. His history at intermediates is strong. His best career finishes have come at intermediates, where he owns a pair of second-place results – Feb. 29, 2020 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and July 9, 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

• The Tennessee Lottery 250 will mark Herbst’s 58th career Xfinity Series start and, like much of the field, his first at Nashville. The 22-year-old racer has earned six top-five finishes and 24 top-10s. While Herbst has never made a start on Nashville’s 1.333-mile, concrete oval, he does have two starts at another track in Music City – the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, where he earned a best finish of seventh in the April 2017 ARCA Menards Series race.

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

There is practice and qualifying once again this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. After topping the speed charts and winning your first career pole at Charlotte, are you looking forward to these sessions?

“Definitely. You learn so much in practice and qualifying that can transfer over to the race. The sim is great, but nothing beats actually getting out on the track and putting down some laps before the green flag. I’m hoping we can produce the same results as Charlotte. I’m excited to show some speed this weekend at Nashville.”

This is your first start at Nashville Superspeedway. How do you feel heading into the weekend?

“I’m pumped to get to Nashville. The Xfinity Series hasn’t been there in a quite a few years, so it’s great to get NASCAR back to Music City. On top of the excitement of a new racetrack, I’m also happy that we’re able to fit in practice and qualifying this weekend. It’s another chance for us to learn and improve as the season continues.”

Monster Energy has been with you for some time. Talk about what that long-term partnership means to you.

“It’s super cool to have that support from Monster Energy. I love the flat black scheme with the bright green ‘M’ on the hood. I’ve been with the Monster Energy folks since I was probably 15 or 16 years old through my family’s off-road racing team, who they sponsored. We just kept that relationship alive as time went on. The people out in Corona, California, are like family to me and they’re so supportive of my career. Hopefully, I can get them a win in Nashville this weekend.”