Friday Faceoff: Who Will Riley Herbst Drive For in 2027?

1) Which Cup Series driver had a standout May, and who had a month to forget?

Luken Glover: May is a crucial month for drivers to gear up for the summer months, and Daniel Suarez checked many of those boxes. His emotional win in the Coca-Cola 600, dedicated to Kyle Busch just days after his tragic death, was the highlight of a month in which Suarez proved that the optimism from his move to Spire Motorsports wasn’t just a flash in the pan. Outside of a 19th-place run at Nashville Superspeedway, Suarez logged finishes of sixth and 13th in the other two points races. He is firmly in a spot to make the Chase, sitting 10th in points.

Ironically, his former teammate at Trackhouse Racing in Ross Chastain had a month to forget in what has been a dismal season to say the least. Chastain finished 26th or worse in all four points races, and he dropped from 18th to 26th in the standings. With only two top 10s and 59 laps led, it will take a herculean effort for Chastain to salvage his regular season.

Gabriel Goodman: Shane van Gisbergen had an outstanding May. He led laps in three of the four points races in May, collected one win, two top fives and finished no worse than 17th. Despite only one of those four races being on a road course, SVG had an average finish of 8.5 in May, the third best of all drivers last month. With a fifth-place finish in Nashville, SVG’s oval progress is rapidly climbing.

On the contrary, van Gisbergen’s teammate, Chastain, had an abysmal May, with two DNFs, only one finish on the lead lap, and a best finish of 27th. Even with Trackhouse’s success from the No. 97 team, the past few months have been a struggle for the organization as a whole.

Christopher Hansen: Shane van Gisbergen. Despite a 17th-place finish at Texas being the outlier, van Gisbergen had two top-five finishes and would’ve had three had he not lost track position in the late stages of the Coca Cola 600. Between his Watkins Glen victory and fifth-place run in Nashville, SVG has an average finish of 5.67 in the last three races. That mark is second only to Tyler Reddick’s 5.0 average finish.

Bubba Wallace had a month of May to forget with three finishes of 20th or worse. A 32nd-place finish at Nashville has dropped Wallace to 15th in the point standings, only 34 points above the Chase cutline. With the early season consistency abandoning the No. 23 team, Wallace is in serious jeopardy of missing this year’s Chase altogether.

Michael Bellifemini: Denny Hamlin had the best May with two wins, the All-Star race at Dover and the last race at Nashville. Chastain had a disastrous month, crashing out of the last three events, including the All-Star race, to drop him further back of The Chase cutline.

2) What are your expectations for Corey Heim in his first full-time Cup Series season in 2027?

Goodman: As long as Toyota and 23XI Racing are as fast in 2027 as they are this season, I expect Corey Heim to be a Chase contender and challenge for a race win or two. Heim is very talented, and he has stood out in his select Cup starts. Being a rookie in the Cup Series is hard, but Heim has proven to be an adaptable racer. If 23XI maintains their speed, Heim will have a very good season in 2027.

Hansen: I expect Heim to be a dark-horse contender to make the Chase next season and possibly contend for victories out of the gate, especially with how well he’s performed in limited Cup races for 23XI Racing in 2026. Ever since his debut race in the Craftsman Truck Series back in 2021, we all caught a glimpse of the type of driver Heim is. Now that he finally gets his long-awaited opportunity to race full-time on Sundays, Heim is going to make the most of it.

Bellifemini: Unlike other recent young rookie drivers, I think Heim is jumping into high-level equipment that he can win in immediately. So, I’ll say that Heim wins a race in 2027 and fights for a Chase spot.

Glover: There was so much glamour surrounding the arrival of Connor Zilisch to the Cup Series this year, and rightfully so. However, Heim has been overlooked as perhaps the brightest talent coming up the ranks over the past couple of years, and that should continue in 2027. Look no further than the race at Nashville, where Heim ran inside the top five on speed at one point. There will be growing pains, and there are still some kinks to be worked out, but don’t be surprised to see Heim competing in the top 15 on a regular basis and having a shot to win races. Co-owner Denny Hamlin has said the goal is to shrink his learning curve as much as possible before he goes full-time racing, and with his starts this season across a variety of tracks, the disadvantage shouldn’t be as wide of a margin.

3) With Heim taking over the No. 35, where will Riley Herbst wind up driving in 2027? What or who will be the next Silly Season domino to fall?

Hansen: Riley Herbst will remain in the Cup Series but will be a part of Legacy Motor Club beginning in 2027. While nothing is officially confirmed, it makes the most sense for Herbst to remain in the Cup Series as his results have steadily improved from his rookie season to this year. Alex Bowman’s status with Hendrick Motorsports has been one of the biggest discussions of Silly Season, especially given Bowman’s frustrating 2026 efforts. While both Hendrick Motorsports and longtime sponsor Ally have remained loyal to Bowman through multiple injury-plagued seasons, 2026 could be the final year Bowman drives the famed No. 48.

Bellifemini: I think it’s been rumored that Herbst is going to Legacy Motor Club in their third car, which they are expanding to next year. The next move for 2027 might be Herbst, or maybe it’ll be a decision on Bowman, whether it’s an extension or announcing that he won’t be back at Hendrick next season.

Glover: All signs are pointing toward a landing spot in Legacy Motor Club’s third car that it will bring on board full-time in 2027. Both Herbst and LMC’s majority owner Jimmie Johnson are from the west, and Herbst’s sponsorship backing would bring security and stability to a new team as it looks to lay the groundwork. The domino yet to fall that will knock several others down is what happens to Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 48. There’s obviously a lot of chatter that HMS and Bowman will part ways, but a contract extension shouldn’t be ruled out. Corey Day and Zilisch have been pointed to as the front-runners should Bowman leave, but both contain hurdles. Day is still raw, and while he has shown impressive progress this season, Cup may still be too large of a jump. Zilisch is still under contract with Trackhouse, so HMS would need to buy it out. Realistically, if those two drivers are the targets, extending Bowman’s contract for a year feels like the most likely option.

Goodman: Considering the rumors surrounding Herbst, I believe he will drive for Legacy Motor Club in 2027. With Legacy fielding an additional car next season, Herbst is a “safe” bet for the organization. While he hasn’t had great results at 23XI, at the end of the day, he will have two full seasons of Cup Series racing under his belt.

4) When will Brent Crews pick up his first career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win?

Bellifemini: I think Brent Crews‘ first win is coming very soon, so I’ll go ahead and say that his first win will come in the next O’Reilly Series race at Pocono Raceway.

Hansen: Pocono. Crews showed great composure racing against veteran Justin Allgaier for the win in the most recent O’Reilly Series race at Nashville. Despite the series taking this weekend off, Crews has some solid momentum despite a crash at Charlotte and a 22nd-place finish at Dover. Every week he comes to a track he’s never competed at before, Crews continues to find a way to run up front and contend for solid finishes. If he can have another strong performance like he did at Nashville, expect Crews to be celebrating his first career O’Reilly Series victory.

Goodman: Crews’ first win is coming soon, and his best opportunity is June 20 at the Coronado Street Race. With no full-time Cup drivers permitted in the field, Crews won’t have to worry about drivers like Zilisch or van Gisbergen. Crews will be the favorite heading into the weekend, and I believe he will deliver.

Glover: The return to Chicagoland Speedway feels like it could be Crews’ moment. He’s shown maturity beyond his years on and off the track, and the speed is becoming more prevalent each week. Intermediate tracks have been a strength for Crews this season, and the abrasive surface of Chicagoland feels like it could suit the No. 19 team well. That win may come sooner for the 18-year-old, but keep an eye on him to make some fireworks on the Fourth of July.