Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gives a Bold Take on Riley Herbst vs Corey Heim

What’s Happening?

During the latest episode of the Dale Jr Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr gave his take on whether or not 23XI Racing should move on from rookie Riley Herbst after this season. With the NASCAR legend saying that, “I wouldn’t be surprised” if 23XI’s top prospect takes over the No. 35 in 2026.

Toyota’s Top Prospect

During a discussion about Corey Heim and Layne Riggs’s on-track beef from this past weekend at North Wilkesboro, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his Dale Jr Download co-hosts discussed Heim’s future as the top prospect for Toyota’s 23XI Racing.

Though he has dominated the Craftsman Truck Series the past two seasons and is the hands-down best Toyota Prospect, Heim has yet to find a full-time ride in the NASCAR Xfinity or Cup Series. This is also in spite of the high praise that Heim often receives from those in the industry.

Heim even looked landlocked to start the season with no clear route to the next level. His future remained unclear until Feb. 23, when Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing announced they had signed the 22-year-old to a developmental deal.

Herbst vs Heim

Earnhardt, like most in the industry and the grandstands, feels that Heim is ready for an ascension to the Cup Series. The former driver and Xfinity Series team owner agrees that Heim’s current spot in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is merely to get him reps behind the wheel.

“The opinion, I think, in the Toyota camp is very, very high on him [Heim] and that this truck thing’s just a placeholder, a stopgap opportunity, for him to gain knowledge, race, [and] gain racecraft,” Earnhardt said.

Despite Heim’s skill throughout the start of his dominant Craftsman Truck Series season, fans have worried that a logjam at the Cup Series level could keep Heim in NASCAR’s lowest National Series in 2026.

However, one major issue facing Heim is Riley Herbst, driver of 23XI’s new No. 35 entry and a Rookie of the Year candidate. Since 23XI confirmed the signing of Heim, fans have often debated whether Herbst will, or even should, return to the car next season.

While most fans have their opinion on this debate, which mostly comes down to a conversation about sponsorship, Earnhardt was quick to give his take on Herbst’s long-term future with the fast-charging Heim in the wings at 23XI. With the Hall of Famer saying, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s [Heim] in Riley’s car next year.”

23XI’s Dilemma

After many years of floating around in NASCAR’s developmental levels, Riley Herbst finally scored his first full-time Cup Series ride in 2025. Though he is a winner at the Xfinity Series level, his sponsorship from Monster Energy and his family’s Terrible Herbst gas stations may have factored into his new gig. 

While Herbst had a decent run in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, his rookie year in the NASCAR Cup Series has not started well.

Most fans feel the No. 35 is the weak link at 23XI, as the team’s long-term drivers, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, are performing at their usual rates. Wallace even signed a multi-year renewal last fall. In comparison to his veteran teammates, Herbst currently sits 30th in points, only better than four other full-time drivers.

When you compare that to Heim, who is having yet another stellar season in the Truck Series, it may look like an easy decision for 23XI in the coming year. However, sponsorship will always factor into a team’s roster decisions.

To further complicate the matter, there is no indication of just how long Herbst is under contract. However, sometimes a “long-term deal,” such as Zane Smith and Trackhouse Racing in 2024, does not guarantee a driver’s future. If 23XI makes the bold decision to move on from Herbst, it wouldn’t be the first time this has happened. However, the season is still young, and both drivers still have a lot to prove.

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