NASCAR insider predicts who will fill third 23XI Racing car in 2025

It’s widely expected that 23XI Racing will field a third Cup Series charter in 2025, it’s just matter of who exactly will be in the seat.

23XI would purchase one of Stewart-Haas Racing’s available charters with the race team set to close up shop after the 2024 season. Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports said Tuesday that Xfinity Series regular Riley Herbst is the current favorite to get the seat should it become available.

As I've written in this piece, Riley Herbst top candidate to 23XI next year with Monster relationship/funding … at this time, would expect Corey Heim to continue to race trucks w/select Xfinity and Cup races next year. https://t.co/4pwDMauSa7 https://t.co/7I3BczrfOc

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 16, 2024

Pockrass previously wrote last week that Herbst makes the most sense given his relationship with Monster Energy, one of 23XI’s main sponsors.

“With the team already having a Monster Energy relationship, adding Riley Herbst and his Monster deal would make sense,” Pockrass wrote. “Corey Heim is the team’s driver of the future, but he might be a year or two away from being fully Cup ready.”

Herbst, 25, is currently in his fifth full-time season in the Xfinity Series. Piloting the No. 98 Ford for SHR, Herbst sits seventh in the points standings with eight top 10s and three top 5s through 19 races. He has finished 13th or better in the points standings in each season he’s competed in and has one victory across 160 starts. Herbst has seven Cup Series start under his belt, finishing a career-high ninth at Talladega last season.

Riley Herbst opens up on 2025 plans, 23XI Racing possibility

Herbst recently gave an update on his 2025 plans and said a lot of things are going on behind the scenes.

“I think there’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes, but it’s not really just Riley Herbst it’s Monster Energy as well,” Herbst said, via NASCAR.com. “The biggest thing is trying to see what’s right for me, what’s right for Monster Energy. I have really good people around me with Josh Jones and Kevin Harvick trying to guide me in the right position and I’m gonna lean on their experience. I have last year, and I’m going to again this year, and there’s a lot of options on the table, so we’re looking forward to everything and hearing everybody out.

“At least for myself and my sponsor it’s important to be in competitive rides. I think that the easiest way to learn is to surround yourself with good people and put yourself in good equipment. That’s first and foremost, so I think that’s going to be our priority for us this offseason, where we land, is to be in a ride that’s extremely competitive whether it be in any three series.”