Getty Riley Herbst waves to fans at Martinsville Speedway.
On May 8, Stewart-Haas Racing announced that Riley Herbst will use the Darlington race to honor the late Ken Block, who passed away in a snowmobile accident in January. This will be a full-circle moment for the Las Vegas native as he celebrates an important member of the Monster Energy family.
“I mean, if you’d have told me when I met Ken and saw his drift car that I’d be in the Monster family with him and getting to run his scheme to tribute his legacy in motorsports at Darlington, I would have said, ‘You’re crazy,'” Herbst told Heavy on May 11.
“So it’s really cool. The whole full circle deal, and [I’m] just very honored to run it. And hopefully, we give it a good show this weekend.”
Honoring a @MonsterEnergy legend.
Bringing this scheme to life was not a simple matter. It started with an idea, which created excitement about an opportunity to honor a motorsports icon while raising money for the 43 Institute Ken Block Foundation — all proceeds from limited-edition merchandise will go directly to the foundation.
However, there were some hurdles to overcome. Multiple people had to approve the idea to run the tribute scheme. Herbst also needed the original designer, Marcus Jurgensen, to come on board to recreate the scheme for Throwback Weekend.
“So I came up with the idea just to pay tribute to Ken because of what he’s meant to — not only the race fans’ lives but how big of an impact he had at Monster Energy,” Herbst said. “He was truly part of our family, and he was awesome. Just an awesome guy.
“So I kind of ran it up the flagpole to see what they thought, and they got behind it, obviously. And they supported me, which is awesome. And then, obviously, the final check mark was the Block family. So just grateful of Monster and the Block family to approve it.”
Block Had an Impact on a Whole Generation
GettyRiley Herbst prepares for qualifying at Daytona International Speedway.
Now 24, Herbst was the perfect age to appreciate Block’s time competing in a variety of unique vehicles when he was growing up. He watched the “Gymkhana” videos, and he saw the Ford Fiesta with its now-iconic Drip scheme competing around the world. These experiences played a major role in his decision to get involved with motorsports.
“I was a huge Bucky [Lasek] fan, Travis [Pastrana], even Brian [Deegan],” Herbst said. “I mean, those guys are all in the same group, and they all kind of did the same things but a little bit differently as well. But I was talking to somebody in the shop recently. Like, I’m a motorhead — probably like yourself — and I try to follow everything racing. Any form of racing.
“He was just different,” Herbst continued. “You’d go to the lunch room or recess break in middle school, and your friends who don’t follow motorsports at all or anything about racing, they would be talking about Ken Block’s ‘Gymkhana’ videos. Just how he pushed the younger generation into motorsports and made it so intriguing for us to follow.”
More than a decade later, Herbst now has the opportunity to showcase Block’s influence on his life. He will put the Drip scheme on display on a different style of vehicle, and he will attempt to raise a considerable amount of money for the 43 Institute Ken Block Foundation.
Herbst Will Put This Scheme on Display at a Track He Enjoys
GettyRiley Herbst will return to Darlington Raceway.
When Herbst puts the Drip scheme on display, it will be at a track that has been a rollercoaster for him in recent seasons. He will take on Darlington Raceway, where he has two top-five finishes and two crashes in six starts.
“I mean, it’s one of my favorite tracks and a lot of fun,” Herbst said. “There’s gonna be a lot of good cars this weekend as [Kyle] Larson’s racing and other people who adapt to Darlington very good. So I’m excited to run there. I enjoy running there, and it’s gonna be hot and slick.”
What’s intriguing about Darlington Raceway is that it’s a track that Herbst first took on during a unique season. His first two starts were in 2020, the COVID-altered season in which there was no practice or qualifying.
Herbst had no experience at the hardest track on the schedule, but he finished 18th and fourth in the two races in 2020. Meanwhile, his then-teammate Harrison Burton finished ninth and sixth in his first two starts at Darlington.
As Bubba Wallace explained in a separate interview, This track is not kind to new drivers. Darlington is a place where many drivers go out hot and slap the wall on their very first lap. If they aren’t prepared, they can do a lot of damage early and lead to a very long day.
“We showed up to Darlington after the COVID break, never making a lap around that place, and no practice,” Herbst added. “And we had to go for the green flag, and it was kind of odd because that’s one of the hardest tracks on the circuit. We just strapped in and started racing. I think we both had decent finishes for our first time there, but yeah, that place can eat you alive, for sure.
“I just remember strapping into the car and literally not knowing what to expect. I’ve never turned a lap there or anything. Some other tracks, you go do it for the first time, you’ve been there in a K&N car or ARCA car. You kind of understand it. Or it’s just a typical mile-and-a-half, and you can kind of get your hands on it pretty soon and fast. But with Darlington, there’s no other track in the world like it.”