23XI Racing driver Riley Herbst will miss the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway after waking up on Saturday, August 29, 2026, with lingering effects from a hard crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Harrison Burton will substitute in the No. 35 Toyota.
Riley Herbst has been forced to withdraw from Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway just hours before the green flag. The 23XI Racing driver woke up on race day experiencing physical aftershocks from a heavy accident the previous weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, according to team announcements.
Herbst had qualified fifth on Friday, securing a strong starting position near the front of the 160-lap event. Instead of taking the grid, he stepped out of the car in what the team and driver agreed was the safest course of action.
New Hampshire Crash Aftershocks Force Late Daytona Withdrawal
The health setback stems from a multi-car incident during the Dollar Tree 301 at Loudon, New Hampshire. On lap 226 of that race, Herbst made contact with Michael McDowell in Turns 3 and 4, sending his No. 35 Toyota hard into the outside wall on the driver’s side. The car came to a stop in a vulnerable position on the track surface, where Connor Zilisch—whose view was obstructed—slid into the stationary Toyota before crashing into the wall himself.
Though Herbst was checked and cleared at the infield care center following the Loudon wreck, the physical toll emerged days later. Speaking to truTV during qualifying at Daytona, Herbst reflected on the severity of the accident before his withdrawal became necessary.
“Yeah, that was a lick. I’m thankful obviously. In the bigger perspective, it gave me a bigger picture of things. I’m grateful to be alive each day and continue to walk.”
Riley Herbst, driver, via The Tennessean
Despite the lingering pain, Herbst initially pushed through Friday’s qualifying session to lock in the fifth-starting spot. By Saturday morning, however, the symptoms persisted, leading to the decision to step aside.
Harrison Burton Steps Into the No. 35 Toyota at Daytona
To fill the seat, 23XI Racing turned to Harrison Burton. Burton was already on site at Daytona after competing in the Winn-Dixie 250 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series on Friday night, where he finished eighth.
The team bypassed Corey Heim, who was already entered in the race in a separate capacity and is slated to replace Herbst full-time in 2027. Because Herbst qualified the car before withdrawing, Burton will move to the rear of the field for the start of the race. Burton brings prior superspeedway success to the garage, having won the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona during his tenure with Wood Brothers Racing.
“After a strong effort in qualifying yesterday, Riley Herbst woke up with lingering effects from last weekend’s incident, and, along with the team, decided it was in his best interest to step out of the car for tonight’s race at Daytona International Speedway.”
23XI Racing, team statement via Yahoo Sports
Playoff Implications and Season Standing for 23XI Racing
Herbst enters the Daytona weekend sitting 26th in the driver championship standings, having secured three top-10 finishes across 25 starts this season, including an eighth-place run in the Daytona 500 in February. Burton will receive all credit for the final finishing position in the No. 35 entry, marking his first Cup start since completing his full-time campaign in 2024.
Whether Burton makes additional starts beyond Daytona remains contingent on Herbst’s recovery timeline following the race weekend.
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