Riley Herbst Wins Indianapolis Xfinity Series Race With Amazing Last Lap Pass
Riley Herbst rained on his teammate’s big day.
Hours after Cole Custer was announced as the driver for the new Haas Factory Team entering the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025, his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Herbst stole the win in the closing laps of the Penzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It was the first Xfinity Series race held on the venue’s iconic oval track since 2019 as NASCAR spent the past three seasons using the infield road course.
Custer started on pole with Herbst alongside him, but Herbst stayed out to win the first stage as other front runners pitted.
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Ryan Sieg won stage two as various pit strategies came into play, but the race would come down to an 11-lap sprint for the finish after a bizarre crash that saw Parker Retzlaff run into the back of a slowing Anthony Alfredo and collect Josh Williams.
Custer took the green flag with Herbst next to him again and Aric Almirola sitting in third. Almirola had been running up front all day, but spun earlier in the race without hitting anything and worked his way back through the field.
Custer stayed out front until the second to last lap, when Custer made a move on the inside as they exited Turn 4, but were both passed on the front straight by Almirola on the outside.
Custer fell back, but Herbst stayed on Almirola’s bumper and was able to get by him in the short chute between Turn 3 and Turn 4 and held on to the finish line as Custer got a run and slipped by Almirola for second place.
“This is hallowed ground, honestly, this is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Every person in the world wants to race here and I won here. I don’t care if it’s the Xfinity Series, it’s the Cup Series it’s the go-kart track, this is The Brickyard. This is Indianapolis, this is the coolest race track in the world,” an exuberant Herbst said on USA after the race.
