Riley Herbst was disqualified following the post-race weight inspection at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on Sunday, affecting the official results of the NASCAR Cup race. The No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota, driven by Herbst, failed to meet the required weight specifications, marking the first post-race disqualification in the Cup series since April at Talladega Superspeedway. This incident brought attention to the ongoing pressures surrounding compliance in the playoff races.
Details of the Race and Fallout from Inspection Failures
After finishing 30th and earning seven points on the track, Herbst’s disqualification dropped him to 37th in the final standings, reducing his point total to one. NASCAR officials decided to transport Herbst’s car, along with Cole Custer’s No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford, back to the Research & Development Center for a comprehensive teardown to determine the cause of the irregularities.
This outcome led to a reshuffling of positions, with drivers Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, Josh Bilicki, Cody Ware, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Austin Cindric all moving up by one spot in the official race results. Herbst’s day was marked by confrontations, including an on-track incident with Ty Dillon that escalated into retaliation under caution, and contact with Kyle Busch, who caused Herbst to wreck near the frontstretch chicane.
Impact on Playoff Dynamics and Previous Disqualification Context
While this disqualification stirred unease, it did not influence the playoff contention, unlike the 2024 elimination race at the same venue when Alex Bowman failed post-race weight requirements and was removed from playoff contention. Herbst’s penalty mainly affects his personal standings and highlights the continued scrutiny NASCAR places on technical regulations during critical playoff moments. The last comparable Cup disqualifications occurred at Talladega earlier this year involving Ryan Preece and Joey Logano.
