LAS VEGAS, NV – October 16, 2023 – Stewart-Haas Racing’s #98 Riley Herbst won Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, marking his first win in the Xfinity Series. The win also marked Stewart-Haas Racing’s 24th Xfinity Series victory and 100th win overall.
“Congratulations to Tony, Gene, Davin, Riley, and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing on the race win at Las Vegas,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Both Stewart-Haas cars were fast throughout the day. Riley raced his way from the back of the field and dominated at his hometown track for the win.”
“Oh my goodness. I love this town. I love this team. Davin Restivo believes in me, but I have to give a big shout out to Richard Boswell because I wouldn’t be the person I am or the race car driver without him. I can’t thank Monster Energy enough, Mitch Covington, Dave Gowan. Everybody said I couldn’t do it and those two people stuck behind my my whole career. You don’t even know what this means and what this takes off my chest. I can’t believe it. I love you Las Vegas. Let’s go,” commented Herbst.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer started Saturday’s race from P2 while Riley Herbst qualified in P8 but started the race at the rear of the field. With 10 of 45 laps remaining in Stage 1, Custer passed Chandler Smith to take the lead and win the stage by 0.392 seconds. A multi-car wreck at the beginning of the second stage red-flagged the race for nearly nine minutes to clean up the debris. Custer maintained the lead throughout the second stage until Riley Herbst made a last lap pass to win Stage 2. During the break before the final stage, all the cars on the lead lap pitted and Herbst won the race off pit road. With 75 laps remaining, Herbst held a 4-second lead over teammate Cole Custer. After a final round of green flag pit stops for new tires and fuel, Herbst cycled back to the lead with 56 laps to go and didn’t look back. Herbst took the checkered flag with a margin of 14.959 seconds over second place John Hunter Nemechek, leaving only 10 cars on the lead lap.
Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Cole Custer finished in P3.
The NASCAR Cup Series also raced at Las Vegas on Sunday. RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher finished in P4 and P10, Team Penske’s Joey Logano finished in P11, and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick finished in P13 and P15.
Both the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series head to Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida this weekend.
35 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 456 WINS – 420 POLES
*Photos courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images