Riley Herbst to honor the legacy of late Action Sports icon Ken Block at Darlington throwback week

Riley Herbst is currently eighth in the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series standings.

Riley Herbst to honor the legacy of late Action Sports icon Ken Block at Darlington throwback week

Riley Herbst. Image via Yahoo Finance.

In 2010, late rally legend Ken Block and his team delivered a video of fun driving. It was his “Gymkhana Three (Part 2): Ultimate Playground, L’Autodrome; France” video. Riley Herbst, a ten-year-old kid, was fascinated by Block’s video. Fast forward to 2023; Herbst is 24 years old and still a huge fan of Ken Block. 

The full-time Xfinity series driver will have his No.98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang car sport the exact Gymkhana Three “Drip” color design from Block’s video. Herbst will drive Block inspired car at Darlington Raceway coming weekend. The Rally star and marketing icon Ken Block met with a snowmobile accident in January and lost his life. However, he has left behind a legacy that inspires millions. 

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Riley Herbst stated, “I was a huge Ken Block fan. I still am. I just thought it was so cool with the legacy Ken left behind, and how big of a person and a personality he was. Ken was part of the Monster Energy family and it was so cool to come up with the idea with the car. And then to have the upper levels at Monster Energy approve it and to have the Block family approve it.”

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Riley Herbst has been a fan of Ken Block ever since he was a child

Riley Herbst. Image via NASCAR.
Riley Herbst. Image via NASCAR.

Herbst added that he loved the “Drip Scheme” ever since he was a child. He revealed that he watched it on YouTube back in 2010. Herbst reminisced about his school days when he would watch Block’s Gymkhana videos all day long. The 24-year-old had met Block a few times and is now honored to run his paint scheme. Herbst recalled the time when he watched late night World Rally Championship. He enjoyed watching Ken Block running over in Europe. 

Herbst added, “I thought that was so cool because I had never really seen anything like it. I remember dragging my Dad to the X Games in Los Angeles to watch Ken compete in the Coliseum. I just have really cool memories of Ken like that.” It is safe to say that Riley Herbst’s drip scheme for this weekend would mean a lot to him especially considering the fanboy he is. 

Herbst is yet to win an Xfinity race, but he has 60 top-ten finishes. The 24-year-old is gunning for his first Xfinity victory in car No.98 this weekend. Last season, he finished third at Darlington. He has more expectations for this year.

Herbst wants to be dominant and win the race. He stated that the first six weeks of the year were good and that they led the points. But the last four weeks have been tricky. This does not mean Riley Herbst is going to give up. He and his team are ready to return to Darlington and win the race. Herbst feels that one has to take the good with the bad and bounce back. 

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