Bill McAnally Racing announced today that Riley Herbst will race a portion of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule this season, driving the No. 54 UFC GYM / NOS Toyota Camry in the first four races that comprise the NAPA 500 Challenge.
For Herbst – an 18-year-old from Las Vegas – the four events will supplement his role this year with Joe Gibbs Racing as a full-time driver in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.
UFC GYM joins with NOS Energy Drink as the primary sponsor for his return to the K&N Pro Series West.
Herbst competed with BMR last season as a rookie in the series, finishing seventh in the championship standings. He had seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 14 races in the K&N West, as well as three top-10 finishes in three starts in the K&N East.
“We’re excited to have Riley back with us for the start of the 2017 season,” said BMR President Bill McAnally. “We have some unfinished business together and it’s great to have this opportunity with him competing in some more races with us.”
The K&N Pro Series West events on Herbst’s schedule this year mark the biggest season kickoff in the history of the series. The NAPA 500 Challenge, with four races in eight days, features 500 total laps of competition – as well as big bonuses up for grabs.
“I look forward to being part of this year’s season kickoff in the K&N West,” Herbst said. “I’m glad my ARCA schedule allows me the opportunity to return to run these races with BMR. We ran up front at those tracks last year and I’m anxious to get back to each of them.”
The season opens in Arizona at Tucson Speedway on Saturday, March 18; followed by a visit to Kern County Raceway Park near Bakersfield, California on Thursday, March 23. Twin 100s, that comprise a big doubleheader, will cap off the week at Irwindale (California) Speedway on Saturday, March 25.
Herbst notched his first career series top-five finish last year at Kern County Raceway, with a fourth-place finish. His freshman season also included finishes of sixth at Irwindale and seventh at Tucson.
Herbst grew up watching his father and grandfather compete in off-road racing classics such as the Baja 500 and Baja 1000. After starting his racing career with go-karts at the age of 5, he progressed to trophy karts, Legends cars, speed trucks, and late models. He did double duty as a rookie at Irwindale Speedway in 2015, winning the championship in the Irwindale Speed Trucks, and finishing fifth in the final standings in Irwindale’s late model division.
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