Many NASCAR fans might be familiar with Riley Herbst’s family background in motorsports, but the same probably cannot be said about his family’s billion-dollar gas station and convenience store chain business. 

On the Racin’ With The Boys podcast, the No. 35 23XI Racing driver spoke about his family business, Terrible Herbst. He clarified that it was his personal choice to pursue a racing career instead of a family business, despite his family placing a high value on a college education. 

“I kind of made a decision to, like, not go that way. You don't want to. They said education, college education, big in my family. And I said, I'm going to go turn left down in the south. Been in college for like 20 years now. Yeah. And they're like, 'You are probably not making the best financial decision.'”

He then spoke about how the family business came to be and how it got the name Terrible Herbst, putting it down to a ruthless business model that made it to the newspaper headlines. 

In the podcast, Herbst also mentioned it was a necessity for his great-grandfather to move to a new place due to health conditions. 

“My great-grandfather started it in Chicago, right next to the water tower there. No, that's my grandfather. So his father started it, and he had really bad asthma, and they didn't have medicine at the time. So the doctor told him to move west. And so he’d go to a town and run everybody out of business by undercutting them on prices. 

"And then once he ran everybody out of business, he would leave to the next town and do it again and do it again and do it again. And so there were newspaper headlines saying that no good [expletive], Terrible Herbst, is coming to town, be careful. And then when they got to Vegas, he just started his company called Terrible Herbst.”

Riley Herbst on not returning to 23XI Racing in 2027

Earlier this year, it was announced that Herbst will not be a part of the 23XI Racing team in the next season, with Corey Heim set to replace him. Speaking to Racer.com, he expressed a desire to finish the current season within the Top 20, given that he currently occupies the 24th position. 

“Yeah, I’m just excited about everything. I’m extremely grateful to be where I am and to have these opportunities, and now we just have to go capitalize. It’s a difficult mind game, for sure, this NASCAR Cup Series. It’s a never-ending battle. It’s a progress thing that you take steps towards every day, and you’re never going to be perfect. 

"My confidence level is at the highest level it has ever been, and I’m excited to get to the racetrack each week. If we finish the year in the top 20 in points, I’ll be really, really happy. That’s probably my main goal right now.”

While there have been no announcements just yet, rumors are heavily linking Herbst to the Legacy Motor Club, who might finally find their long-anticipated third car in the 27-year-old. 

Read more at RFK Racing Digest! 

Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason