Riley Herbst Signs Multi-Year Deal With LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

In what was probably the worst kept secret of the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series silly season, Riley Herbst will officially move to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB next season. The 27-year-old driver, who has spent the last two seasons driving the No. 35 Toyota for 23XI Racing, announced that he had signed a multi-year contract with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.

Beginning next season, Herbst will pilot the No. 84 Toyota for the race team, and he will carry Monster Energy, his longtime sponsorship partner, as his anchor partner at LMC. Herbst is excited that he has landed on his feet after a brief journey in the NASCAR Cup Series free-agent market.

“I’m excited to join LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and drive the No. 84,” said Riley Herbst. “My career has been a journey with a lot of highs and a lot of lows, and I’ve learned every step of the way — from my crew chiefs, my mentors, and my family. This new chapter is another opportunity to learn and grow in the NASCAR Cup Series, and I’m grateful for the chance to help Jimmie continue to build what LEGACY is becoming.”

While Herbst struggled mightily through his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series, a 2025 campaign where he didn't record a single top-10 finish, Herbst has shown excellent improvement in 2026. Herbst, who missed last weekend's event at Daytona International Speedway due to lingering effects from a hard crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, has three top-10 finishes through the opening 26 races of the 2026 season.

Herbst, who wasn't seen by many fans as a coveted developmental driver heading into his rookie season, is confident that he has learned enough through his opening couple of seasons in the Cup Series to position himself and the No. 84 team for success in 2027 and beyond.

“My first two seasons in the Cup Series have taught me a great deal,” Herbst continued. “Every driver goes through a learning curve, and the move to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is another step forward in that process. There is still plenty ahead of me, and I’m looking forward to taking it on.”

Jimmie Johnson, who knows what its like being a driver under the radar heading into his NASCAR Cup Series career, is happy to have Riley Herbst driving for his LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team in 2027, and he is excited to see the Las Vegas native continue his development next year.

“I have watched Riley grow as a driver, and I know what he is capable of,” said Jimmie Johnson, co-owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. “The connection our families share through off-road racing made this feel like a natural fit from the start. I am excited to give him a home where he can continue to develop and show what he can do in the Cup Series.”

The signing of Herbst is an interesting one for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, a team looking to find its footing in the top half of the NASCAR Cup Series field. Herbst is a driver, who has underwhelmed at times in the NASCAR Cup Series, but for a portion of the 2026 season, he looked like a driver who truly belongs in the series.

Prior to moving to the NASCAR Cup Series, Herbst collected three wins in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series while driving for the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing.

In 69 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Herbst has recorded five top-10 finishes, including a career-best finish of eighth, which he's achieved twice. Herbst was eighth in the season-opening Daytona 500 this season, and eighth again in the Anduril 250 at the San Diego Street Course.

As previously announced, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will field three full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries in 2027. The team has yet to announce a successor for John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 42 Toyota, but Josh Berry is expected to get the nod.

Add us as a preferred source on Google