TOLEDO, Ohio (March 12, 2018) — Las Vegas, Nevada’s Riley Herbst, the 2017 SCOTT Rookie of the Year, has filed an entry for the Music City 200 coming to Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville Saturday, April 7.
Herbst, driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing-prepared No. 18 NOS-ORCA Coolers-Advance Auto Parts Toyota, says he learned a lot in his maiden ARCA voyage last year at Nashville; but it’s more about the full-season experience that means the most.
“I can’t wait to get back to Nashville,” said Herbst. “I’ll take the experience I learned there last year but it’s more about getting a full season under my belt and taking that into this season. Every time you sit in an ARCA car, it’s more experience for the next one.”
Herbst also says that Nashville is unlike most other tracks.
“It’s really different…big short track, super fast, rough…a lot of history. It’s really cool. Really like to enter my name on the Nashville winner’s list and head to Salem as a winner.”
Herbst is also taking some time to visit with family back home before the season ratchets up.
“I’m back home in Las Vegas just for a week…I head back to Charlotte next week. Just spending time with family before the full season.
“The Joe Gibbs guys are back home working hard, getting ready for the test in two weeks. I look forward to going back home and getting ready for Nashville, Salem, Talladega, and all the rest.”
Herbst got off to a solid start at Daytona with a 10th-place finish on the lead lap. Herbst finished 7th at Nashville last year, leading 8 laps. Herbst also scored one win in 2017 at Pocono Raceway.
ARCA Nashville Fairgrounds Roots go back to 1959
Three-time ARCA national champion Nelson Stacy was ARCA’s inaugural winner at Nashville in 1959. Other notable race winners/champions at Nashville include Jack Bowsher (ARCA champion), Don White (USAC Stock Car champion), Harold Smith (ARCA champion), Ramo Stott (ARCA champion), Moose Myers (ARCA champion), Marvin Smith (ARCA champion), David Green (NASCAR Xfinity champion) and 2015 ARCA champion Grant Enfinger. Chad Finley won last year’s Music City 200. Other ARCA winners at Nashville include Andy Hampton, Red Farmer and Coo Coo Marlin, all of whom were track champions in their own locales. Nineteen-time ARCA winner Bob Schacht won three consecutive at Nashville in 1981, ’82 and ’83.
More Nashville Fairgrounds History
While racing began at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds as early as 1904, the track which evolved into the current day Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville held its first race in 1958. The track was also home to 42 NASCAR Cup races from 1958-1984 with Richard Petty leading all drivers with nine wins followed by Darrell Waltrip with eight. Other Cup winners include Joe Weatherly, David Pearson, Bobby Isaac, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, Bobby Allison, Benny Parsons and Dale Earnhardt. The NASCAR Xfinity Series raced there nine times from 1984-2000, and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series held five races from 1996-2000.
Hauler parking and Super Late Model practice is scheduled for Friday, April 6, while all racing festivities are set for Saturday, April 7 with practice beginning at 12 noon with qualifying following at 3 p.m. Racing begins at 5:45. General admission presale tickets are available for a $5 per ticket discount at https://market.myracepass.com/store/tickets/?i=1138614&store=17617 or by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.