LEBANON, Tenn. – Las Vegas natives Riley Herbst and Noah Gragson competed in the Xfinity and Cup Series races during the Ally 400 NASCAR weekend in Music City.
Exactly halfway through the series’ respective schedules, the playoffs are creeping up quickly, and drivers are starting to scramble for points and playoff spots or search for seats for the 2025 season.
Both drivers are with Stewart-Haas Racing, which recently announced that they will cease operations at the end of the 2024 season. Chase Briscoe has recently announced he will be joining the Joe Gibbs Racing team, but neither Gragson nor Herbst has announced plans for the 2025 season.
When asked about his future plans, Herbst said that he needs to find the best fit not only for himself but also for his title sponsor, Monster Energy.
With the wisdom and great people surrounding him, Riley said, “I’m gonna lean on their (Josh Jones and Kevin Harvick) experience like I did last year, and I'm going to do it this year. There's a lot of options on the table. We're looking forward to everything and hearing everyone out.” He also said that all three series were being considered.
Nashville, known as "NashVegas," stands out on the circuit to Riley, who talked about how he thinks the nickname is cool.
Reflecting on the current season, Herbst mentioned how he wants to remain in competitive equipment and become a better driver overall in any of the three series. Herbst finished sixth in the Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 driving the Monster Energy Ford and will start 30th for the Ally 400 with the Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford.
With Nashville Superspeedway being a tough track, Gragson mentioned how more track time running double duty this weekend allows him to have more confidence going into Sunday.
Gragson spoke about how there are some places where you don’t fit, and when you get a second chance, you can prove what kind of driver you are and prove your worth.
Gragson’s journey at Stewart-Haas Racing has been one of growth and maturity. He mentions that the 10-car team is family to him, saying, “Drew [Blickenderfer] is a great leader for our group, and I don’t know what his plan is, but when I get something signed, I hope he can come with me. “
With the two-week Olympic break approaching, Noah is heading home to Las Vegas to connect with his family. He expressed interest in speaking with some students from UNLV as Las Vegas has experienced an uproar among students interested in the motorsports industry. “It would be great to speak with students interested in motorsports. We have two guys at Stewart-Haas who are from Vegas. They do a great job, and they went to UNLV. It’s special to be able to have Vegas-grown people, guys from Vegas and girls from Vegas, to be able to get into motorsports. I think it would be cool to speak to some students.”
Gragson finished the Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 in fifth place, driving the Priestly Demolition Ford, and qualified 16th for the Ally 400 with the Bass Pro Shops Winchester Ford.
The Ally 400 will broadcast live from Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CT on NBC.
-- NashvilleSuperspeedway.com --
Race Schedule and Tickets
Sunday, June 30
Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race
2:30 p.m. CT, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Sunday, Sept. 15
NTT IndyCar Series Big Machine Music City Grand Prix
2 p.m. CT, NBC, Peacock, INDYCAR Live, SiriusXM
Call 866.RACE.TIX to discuss your options with an account representative, or visit NashvilleSuperspeedway.com. Tickets for children ages 12 and younger (with a paying adult) are free for the NASCAR races on Friday and Saturday and are only $10 for Sunday.
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About Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway, Middle Tennessee’s racing jewel, is a year-round family-friendly destination in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. The 1.33-mile D-shaped track with 14 degrees of banking has hosted three NASCAR Cup Series races, 25 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, 17 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events and eight INDYCAR SERIES contests. The largest concrete-only track in NASCAR, Nashville Superspeedway is owned by Speedway Motorsports.
