Riley Herbst to Run Daytona 500, Select Cup Races for Rick Ware Racing in 2024

Riley Herbst, who made his NASCAR Cup Series debut last season driving for Rick Ware Racing, will return to RWR for the 2024 Daytona 500 and select events throughout the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series season.

Herbst will join the driver roaster of the No. 15 Ford Mustang, which already includes Kaz Grala (25 races), and is expected to include Cody Ware. Monster Energy will serve as the primary sponsorship partner.

Th 24-year-old Herbst scored his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win in 2023, and he competed very strong in his part-time NASCAR Cup Series role with Rick Ware Racing. Last year, Herbst recorded two top-10 finishes, including a 10th-place showing in the Daytona 500.

“Riley continues to impress as a driver,” said team owner Rick Ware. “He showcased what we could do together by securing a top-10 in his first Cup Series start in last year’s Daytona 500, so we look forward to using that as our benchmark when we return to do it again in a few weeks.

“Additionally, to partner with a global brand like Monster Energy is something I take very seriously for RWR as a company. Monster’s commitment to motorsports is something I respect and value, and I’m proud to have the opportunity to work together with Riley and the Monster brand throughout 2024.”

Herbst feels he has evolved a lot as a race car driver over the last few seasons, and he is ready to hit the ground running in 2024.

“I’ve grown a lot as a racecar driver, especially this past year,” Herbst said. “I put in the work and try to maximize every opportunity, and I feel like last year that hard work and determination paid off. We were really strong at the end of the year. We never finished lower than fourth in our last five Xfinity Series races. I didn’t want the season to end. I’ve kind of been chomping at the bit to get this year started, so to be able to get back to Daytona and run the 500 is something I’m definitely looking forward to.”

With the addition of Herbst as the driver of the No. 15 entry for the Daytona 500, Rick Ware Racing has two really capable drivers lined up for the Great American Race as Justin Haley, who will drive the No. 51 entry, has five wins at superspeedways combined between the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series.

[This story originally appeared on TobyChristie.com]

Photo Credit: Craig White, Racing America