After a strong qualifying effort at Daytona last week, Riley Herbst decided to step back from the race on Saturday afternoon. He was feeling the effects of the brutal crash he endured at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It wasn’t a routine break, as the 23XI Racing driver was dealing with a concussion, which he has now confirmed ahead of the Southern 500.
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“I was diagnosed with concussion after the wreck in Loudon, and I thought I was cleared to pass all of my tests leading up to Daytona. Obviously, I qualified in the race car, had really fast speed, and then I woke up Saturday morning feeling really, really rough,” Herbst said in an interview.
It wasn’t a regular NASCAR crash that Herbst suffered in Loudon. The first contact happened when he tangled with Michael McDowell, and the No. 35 Toyota rammed hard into the wall with its rear end. The impact was so hard that it shook the safer barrier wall. And then there was a second contact with Connor Zilisch.
The Trackhouse Racing driver couldn’t hit the brakes in time and collided with the No. 35 car at the top of the racetrack. A NASCAR driver can experience 80 to 90 Gs during a head-on collision with the wall. Unfortunately, Herbst didn’t feel those symptoms until the following week, after the qualifying run at Daytona.
Describing the uncertain nature of the injury, Herbst added, “Concussions are super weird, health issue that honestly is an evolving matter. It’s not like you X-ray your arm and see if you broke a bone. It’s all about how you feel. You can feel 100 percent and wake up Saturday morning, like I did last week, and struggle to get out of bed.”
NASCAR has been very serious about how it approaches concussion symptoms after a driver is involved in a crash. Drivers have to be cleared by the infield care center after a crash, and they have to pass the SCAT test as well. These new rules were enforced at the start of the 2017 season, a year after Dale Jr. had to step away from racing due to recurring concussion symptoms.
Harrison Burton, who was called to drive the No. 35 car on short notice, did well on race day. He managed a solid 12th-place finish, avoiding any major crashes and keeping the race car clean. This was Burton’s first Cup race since his 2024 Daytona win, which came with Wood Brothers in the iconic No. 21 car.
The good news is that Herbst is fit and back on the racetrack. More importantly, he has a new ride for the 2027 season, which was confirmed earlier this week.
On Thursday, Legacy Motor Club announced that Riley Herbst will be part of its 2027 driver lineup, driving the No. 84 Toyota Camry. Herbst, who is in his second year of full-time racing in the Cup Series, lost his No. 35 ride to Corey Heim. But with this announcement, the Las Vegas native has secured his future at the top level of NASCAR racing.
“It was awesome to team up with a childhood hero. My dad always used to tell me that he grew up with Jimmie, knew Jimmie – I didn’t believe him. This is when Jimmie was on a streak of five in a row and dominating. I love Jimmie, but this red badge on my arm was probably case No. 1 of why Legacy was the right option,” Herbst said.
This move also allows Herbst to remain within the Toyota Racing family and continue his grind toward his first-ever Cup Series win. LMC, meanwhile, announced the departure of John Hunter Nemechek from the team, so they are on the lookout for another talent to take up their third ride.